Motorola, now B-list handset manufacturer that once gave us the all-powerful Razor, doesn\'t want to be left off the touchscreen handset gravy train. For that reason, Motorola has created the Blaze, a smart-looking little handset, all decked out in red, for all the CDMA fans over at Verizon.

 

The folks over at the Boy Genius Report posted new photographs of Motorola\'s new touchscreen handset, the Blaze. There should be little doubt that the handset will, indeed, be retailed for Verizon. No word yet as to whether smaller CDMA-based networks will receive the handset, but Verizon will most likely be the big player with this unit.

 

The Blaze isn't anything to scoff at, either. As to unit hardware specifications, the Blaze has a 2.0 megapixel camera, EV-DO support, Mobile TV, Blue-tooth, and that ever-so-lovely custom Verizon operating system. Why on earth Verizon feels the need to muddy the strong systems developers create is beyond me, but there you have it.

 

On the topic of Verizon cramming its own operating system onto each and every handset it retails, I would imagine it is so that customers don't feel like they're purchasing something completely foreign with a new handset. Obviously, there is some benefit to being able to pick up a new unit and already be familiar with the OS. However, that certainly makes a big statement as to what Verizon thinks about handset developers' abilities for programming.

 

The Verizon Blaze is unique in that it is a flip-style phone that you can operate while closed; beyond that, you won\'t be really missing much if you pass this handset by. Testing shows that the mobile browser is lack-luster, and just about everything else is more hassle than fun.

 

Still, one might assume from the low to mid-range specifications that those looking to land a decent touchscreen handset might be satisfied with the Blaze. No price range has been set, but with much flashier and higher-end handsets hitting the touchscreen market, expect this one to be at least reasonably priced.

 

Tags: blaze motorola 

 

This is taking from developer.motorola.com.

 

To our developers in China and around the world, we have just announced the latest Android devic with China Telecom called the MOTO XT800 (pictured to the left). The new phone is a touch tablet running Android 2.0 with a 480 x 854 (FWVGA) capacitive touch screen, 5 megapixel camera, supports GSM and CDMA, WiFi-enabled, and is ready for your Android applications. Come check out this product at the MOTODEV Summit in Beijing, China on January 13 and learn more about the developer opportunities. Registration is free and we hope you can make it. For more info on the MOTO XT800, check out the product specifications on MOTODEV. If you have any questions let us know by commenting on this blog post or asking them on our discussion boards.

-Randy from MOTODEV

Tags: blaze motorola motorola 

 

 

Motorola Mobility's Webtop concept, which enabled its phones to act as the brains of a laptop or television entertainment hub, has quietly been killed off according to cnet.

Webtop was software that allowed a Motorola smartphone, like the Atrix 4G for AT&T, to be docked in to a special laptop accessory and run with some computer functionality such as the browser. When it was unveiled, many had called it the future of mobile computing.

Unfortunately, the execution wasn't so smooth and sales were disappointing. Motorola, one of Google, said today that adoption wasn't sufficiently strong to justify devoting more resources for the project. Webtop will no longer be visible on phones, starting with the Photon Q, Droid Razr M, Droid Razr HD, and Droid Razr Maxx HD.

Full statement below:

Motorola's Webtop app helps users extend their smartphone experience to larger screens. While consumers around the world have adopted Webtop and the concept spurred a lot of innovation in the industry, the adoption has not been strong enough to justify continued resources being allocated to developing Webtop on future devices. We have also seen development of the Android operating system focus on the inclusion of more desktoplike features. Beginning with Photon Q and Droid Razr M/Droid Razr HD/Droid Razr Maxx HD, we will no longer be including Webtop on our products moving forward.

 

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The Motorola Razr i was a popular device when it was announced back in September that feature an Intel Processor. The phone was only available in Black, as you might already guessed, Phones4u will be selling Razr in White Starting this Saturday (12/22). Just in time for Christmas.

As for Specs, this Intel-powered smartphone offers a 4.3 inch edge-to-edge AMOLED display with 960 x 540 pixels and Gorilla Glass, HSDPA, dual band Wi-Fi, DLNA, GPS, 8MP rear camera with flash, VGA front-facing camera, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal memory, Kevlar fiber on the back, MicroSD card support (up to 32GB), and a 2,000 mAh battery.

Unlocked, the Motorola Razr i costs around £330 in the UK. However, Phones4U will offer the white Razr i for free on plans from £20.50 per month.

 

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The Jelly Bean update roll out for the intel-powered Motorola RAZR I have begun. The first country to get the update notifications is France even though the smartphone was first launched in the UK.

All the usual goodies associated with Jelly bean are on hand including some new improvements to the custom Motorola launcher conveyed to you through the new firmware, version 4.1.2

You are much better off downloading the software over Wi-Fi but you can also use network data if you desire due to a file size of 300 MB. There is an automatic popup on your notification screen but you can check for it manually via the about screen on your settings menu.

The availability of the release should extend to other countries within the next few days or weeks at the most.

Source: Frandroid

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Meet the latest devices to update to Android Jelly Bean 4.1. The DROID RAZR and the RAZR MAXX users have waited for so long to be updated to Jelly Bean and although it hasn't happened yet, at least a formal announcement have already been made by Motorola.

Although many devices have already upgraded to Jelly Bean and have reported awesome enhancements and additional features such as Google Now, camera and notification features, among others, owners of these Motorola devices will surely find Android Beam and near field communication technology (NFC) to be useful when exchanging information.

These are only some of the things that Jelly Bean can bring about on a DROID RAZR or a RAZR MAXX phone. Perhaps the best news is that although Motorola was a bit late on providing update, it hasn't completely forgotten to upgrade and have kept these devices alive. Now, the only thing left to be worried about is how long it will take to actually "roll-out" the Jelly Bean.

Source: Motorola/phandroid

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Google-owned Motorola Mobility has closed down its India website and is reducing headcount in the world's second largest mobile phone market in terms of subscribers amid rising operational cost.

The company will cut around 1,200 jobs across 13 countries, including India and China, in addition to 4,000 lay offs it announced last year.

When contacted, Motorola spokesperson said, "These cuts are a continuation of the reductions we announced last summer. It's obviously very hard for the employees concerned, and we are committed to helping them through this difficult transition."

Google bought the money-losing cellphone maker for $12.5 billion last year, its largest acquisition ever, aiming to use Motorola Mobility's armory of patents to fend off legal attacks on its Android mobile platform and expand beyond its software business.

Source: WallStreetJournal

 

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Photos and a video of a Motorola smartphone have been leaked and it looks so much like a Google Nexus 4 device, save for the logo on the upper left portion. Also, it does not look to be the much-anticipated Motorola X phone, but possibly a mid-range device.

The back panel is slightly curved and has rounded edges and it surprisingly did not put Kevlar components, which is a defining characteristic for RAZR phones. Google cleaned out the Moto UI but left the typical round clock widget.

The video shows the phone's responsiveness and it can still be greatly improved as it looks tacky when the phone is tilted on one side. The guy on the video even held out an iPhone, apparently to compare the size of the display screen, which is substantially bigger and wider than the iPhone's.

Judging from the improvement that Motorola has done in this prototype mid-range device's design and UI, it very much looks to have been influenced by Google and that the Motorola X is really something to look forward to.

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We already reported before that the Moto 360 Smartwatch was already sold-out on the Play Store in just a few hours after launch, but that was the leather band variant. If you wanted a Metal wrist band you were out of luck even if you got to the store in time Motorola released the phone with a choice of two leather bands saying it will make it available with a metal band later on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now however, Verizon has put the metal strap version on pre-order for $300 with a choice of Black and Silver colors. Sadly, the Black Metal version is already sold-out to, but you still have the Silver metal variant available.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The regular price is $250 so you pay a $50 premium for the metal band. That's still better than getting a metal band after the fact though, then it will be $80 extra (that puts the price of the leather band at $30).

Incase you are not familiar with the Moto 360, here are some of the cool features that will spark your interest:

 

• Quality craftsmanship - Finely crafted with stainless-steel, genuine leather from Horween and scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla glass.
  
  
• Responds to your voice - Just speak to get the info you need using the dual microphones.
  
  
• Doubles as an activity tracker - Track your steps and heart rate with a built-in pedometer and heart rate monitor.
  
  
• Works with your Android phone - Pair with most smartphones running Android 4.3 or higher.
  
  
• Bluetooth 4.0 technology - Pairs with your smartphone through the latest Bluetooth technology.
  
  
• Sensors - Include a pedometer, an ambient light sensor and an optical heart rate monitor (PPG) for versatile use.
  
  
• Mobile notifications - Let you view alerts from your device simply by looking at your wrist. A vibration option provides discreet alerts.
  
  
• Built-in microphone - Allows clear hands-free communication.
  
  
• 1.56" LCD touch screen - With Corning Gorilla Glass 3 construction, 320 x 290 resolution and 205 ppi makes navigation simple and clearly presents visuals.
  
  
• Water resistant - Moto 360 withstands both water and dust, so you don't have to worry about a splash at the pool or a little sand at the beach*. IP67 Certified.
  
  
• Stainless-steel case - With a plastic case back and a leather watch band creates a stylish, yet durable, design.
  
  
• All-day battery - Go all day and recharge on a dock at night. 
  
  
• 4GB internal storage and 512MB RAM - Help ensure fast, efficient performance.

 

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Mo Cheng

Editor in Chief

YouMobile, Inc

 

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