In the scheme of things in the Android ecosystem, the latest iteration of the Google mobile operating system is Android 4.1 Jelly Bean which was announced a couple of months back at Google I/O. As expected, Google developer devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Nexus have already gotten the Android 4.1 refresh because their operating systems have no overlaid custom user interface to complicate the update process. Some high-end devices from last year on the other hand have already been cranked up to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean’s predecessor while the others are still stuck in the Gingerbread generation and still waiting for the chance to get a tasty dessert of Ice Cream Sandwich.

However, if you happen to rock a Motorola Atrix 2 from AT&T, you can already say goodbye to Gingerbread and say hello to Ice Cream Sandwich. That’s right, folks! The months of waiting for the official Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update to land on the Motorola Atrix 2 has finally and mercifully come to an end. As confirmed by AT&T, the ICS update is now rolling out to the handset via the usual OTA manner so be on the lookout for that little notification that’ll let you know of the update’s availability on your device. Barring that, you also have the option of manually checking for the update by going to Settings > About phone > System updates. There has been no solid word as of yet just how large the whole ICS update file for the Motorola Atrix 2 is but it is best to have it downloaded via Wi-Fi once it becomes available.

Actually, we already had an idea that the update was already on its way after reports came out a couple of weeks back that Motorola is already in the process of doing an ICS soak test so it was just a matter of time before ICS gets rolled out to the Motorola Atrix 2.

Once your Motorola Atrix 2 gets cranked up to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, it will become more powerful and yet easier to use than ever. The update brings a lot of goodies and treats to the handset and these include:

• Improved page loading, offline reading, tabbed browsing and desktop mode on the handset’s new browser
• Quick-launch lock screen that enables a user to unlock directly to home screen, phone dialer, text messages and camera
• Creation of home folders on the handset’s home screen
• New Peoples app to replace the old Contact app
• Swipe-away notifications bar
• Data usage monitor
• Face Unlock

With this update to Ice Cream Sandwich, the Motorola Atrix 2 which is already a capable device to begin with has become even more capable than it already is.

Source : mobilebloom

Verizon to launch the Motorola Droid Razr HD on October 18?

A couple of weeks back, we saw a lot of smartphone manufacturers hold their respective press events to unveil the latest and greatest devices in their lineups. We saw Nokia come out with a bevy of Windows Phone 8 devices such as the Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 while Samsung on the other hand has finally gone official with its second generation Samsung Galaxy Note II phablet. HTC on the other hand unveiled its new HTC One X+ superphone while Motorola came out with a triumvirate of Razr handsets that include the Motorola Droid Razr HD.

During the announcement, Motorola confirmed the rumors that the Motorola Droid Razr HD along with the other two devices, the Droid Razr M and the Droid Razr Maxx HD, are all headed to the shelves of Verizon. Although there was no mention of a specific timeframe as to when these handsets will make their debut in the shelves, the manufacturer confirmed that they will be out “before the holidays.”

However, there were reports that came out last week that intimated that the Motorola Droid Razr HD could possibly be delayed in hitting Verizon shelves because of an apparent issue that concerns the antenna of the handset. According to sources, this issue is caused by the size and location of the handset’s antennas. Not only that, the antennas also make contact with the Motorola Droid Razr HD’s external edges which can cause degradation of the signal every time a user touches the affected surfaces. Motorola on the other hand is said to already be working on getting the antenna issue on the Motorola Droid Razr HD rectified so that it could still release the handset during the holidays.

However, there might be some good news for those eagerly awaiting the availability of the Motorola Droid Razr HD. If certain sources are to be believed, the handset could hit the shelves of Verizon as early as next week. According to these sources, the wireless carrier has already started training its staff about the Motorola Droid Razr HD and has allegedly pegged October 18 as the launch date of the handset. There was no info regarding the handset’s pricing scheme but we are willing to bet the farm that it would come with a price tag of $199.99 with a new two-year contract with Verizon.

As for the Motorola Droid Razr HD, the handset is expected to ship with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich for its operating system but is also slated to get cranked up to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in the future. As for its internals, the circuitry of the handset revolves around its QualComm MSM8960 SnapDragon chipset. This brings to the table a dual-core Krait processor clocked at 1.5 GHz and a full gigabyte of RAM. The handset comes with a built-in memory of 12GB which can still be expanded using the microSD card slot of the device. Display-wise, the Motorola Droid Razr HD sports a 4.7-inch SuperAMOLED HD panel with an HD resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels while its camera department includes a rear 8MP shooter and a front 1.3MP snapper.

Source : technobloom

Motorola Droid Xyboard 8.9, 10.1 Ice Cream Sandwich Goes Live At Verizon (Android 4 ICS)

We got some pretty disturbing news at the end of September when we found out that the Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Motorola Droid Xyboard 8.2 got officially pushed back, but then just a few days later we also received the good news that, after a bit of effort from Motorola’s part, the Android 4.0 update for the aforementioned tablet might be just around the corner.

Well, whether or not this period of time seemed long or short, the Motorola Droid Xyboard 8.9 and 10.1 at Verizon are now receiving the long-awaited Android 4.0 iteration.

Motorola Droid Xyboard 8.9, 10.1 Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4 ICS)

Here’s the skinny folks, both the 8.9 and 10.1 variants of the Droid Xyboard are now receiving the anticipated Ice Cream Sandwich update. That being said, in case you’re a Verizon customer and you happen to own one of these gadgets, head down to Settings > About Tablet > System updates and fire up the updating process.

The new OS version itself will bring what you would normally expect from an ICS upgrade, including Face Unlock, video chat, Google Voice, the ability to cap data usage and a better, faster browser just to name a few.

In the end, we know that at this point we all crave Jelly Bean, but if Android 4.1 will arrive on the aforementioned tablets, it’s better to wait while enjoying some good ol’ Ice Cream Sandwich, right?

Feel free to drop us a line if you’ve already received the update and let us know if everything works as intended. Enjoy and stay tuned for more.

Source : gforgames

Motorola Solutions ET1 enterprise tablet hands-on review

V3 got its hands on Motorola Solutions' ET1 enterprise-only tablet, checking out how the business-focused Android device compares to its more consumer-focused competitor, the Apple iPad.

Built by Motorola Solutions, the business wing of Motorola which is entirely separate from the mobile phone Mobility wing purchased by Google, the tablet is currently only available on a channel sales model. This means it can only be purchased directly from Motorola Solutions and will never be seen anywhere near a high street store.

Design and build

Speaking to V3, Motorola Solutions Product Manager Andy McBain, explained that the tablet was designed to be useful in a variety of industries including courier, healthcare and government services, retail and construction.

This means that Motorola Solutions really hasn't bothered trying to make the tablet look very pretty. As a consequence the tablet is incredibly bulky when compared to other consumer products, measuring in at 131x224x25mm and weighing 630g.

One positive about its bulky design is that the tablet is very tough and durable. During our hands-on tests we got to bang the ET1 against a table and give it a not too gentle series of "taps" and in both cases it was the table and our hand that came off the worse.

The ET1's great durability carried over to its 7in capacitive, 1024x600 Corning Gorilla Glass screen. Demoing the device we were allowed to rub the screen over a rough wooden table and floor and in both cases the tablet's display came out scratch and chip free - we didn't dare try the same tests on any of the other tablets we had in the office.

The screen as an actual display however was slightly less impressive. While crisp and legible, we did notice that the display's heavy Gorilla Glass coating did make it susceptible to glare issues, even when used in regular indoor lighting conditions.

We didn't get the chance to take the tablet outside to try it in outdoor lighting, but given the issues we saw during our hands on, we're nervous the tablet may be all but illegible in bright sunlit conditions, a problem for businesses like courier companies whose staff spend the majority of their time outside, looking to use the tablet.

Operating system

The tablet runs using the now ancient 2.3 Gingerbread version of Android, though McBain did promise us a Jelly Bean update will be rolled in early 2013.

Motorola Solutions has made a series of customisations to the ET1's user interface, making it look incredibly bare bones when compared to consumer tablets. This is largely due to the company's decision not to overload the UI with widgets or unwanted apps.

This means that the ET1's interface is one of the nicest representations of Gingerbread we have ever seen. A nice consequence of this is that the tablet is really quite fast, with the lack of unnecessary bloatware leaving the ET1's 1GHz dual-core processor free to deal with important tasks.

That said we're still not convinced Motorola's use of Android for a business machine was a smart one. Android has consistently been listed as the least secure mobile operating system, with numerous security vendors including Trend Micro, Kaspersky and F-Secure listing it as cyber criminals' target of choice.

This is largely due to the fact that the Android OS works on an open as opposed to closed model, letting developers and users customise it. Apple by comparison has a closed model, keeping development of its operating system in-house and checking and vetting all apps applying to be released onto the platform. This means that while it is far easier to develop and mould Android to suit bespoke tasks and functions, the iPad is a likely a better choice security-wise.

Business perks

Despite our questions regarding the ET1's software we did notice a number of perks for businesses on the ET1.

The most noticeable of these is the ET1's series of "expansion modules". These are add-on peripherals that plug into the ET1's USB 2.0 port. Motorola Solutions told us that there are already numerous expansion modules on offer, both from it and third party developers.

The one we saw was a dedicated laser scanner that plugged into the tablet's top, allowing it to scan and extract information from numerous objects. During our demo we were shown how the peripheral could extract and save a contact's name and information simply by scanning a business card.

Overall

From a business perspective, our opening impressions of the ET1 are positive. Motorola Solutions has built a robust tablet, complete with a surprisingly full portfolio of business-focused apps and add-ons.
Our two concerns regarding the ET1 are that it's only available on a channel price model and its use of the Android OS.

Being on a channel pricing plan, the cost of the ET1 is subject to a number of factors, including what industry the buyer is in and how many units they want to order. Because of this the ET1 may prove to be too expensive for a number of small to medium sized businesses.

Additionally, the use of Android may put off security-savvy IT managers and systems administrators, due to the ongoing security concerns over the OS.

Source : v3

How to Profit From a Satellite Communication Resurgence

Only 14 years ago, an innovative startup launched the world’s very first global satellite communication system. Using a hand-held wireless phone, the company’s customers could call anywhere in the world – from the streets of New York to the North Pole to the center of the Sahara Desert.

The sheer cost and scale of the project – which included more than 60 low-orbit satellites – captivated technology and space buffs alike.

“It was the boldest and most-expensive private space initiative yet undertaken,” the Smithsonian reflects, “a test of the post-Cold war notion that markets might replace government as the drivers of space exploration and development.”

The company’s formal launch in 1998 solidified it as a dot-com darling, ushering in a new digital world that would give everyone on Earth the ability to instantly communicate with anyone at the push of a button on a wireless device.

There was just one problem: The venture quickly became a failure of epic proportions.

Nine months after signing its first customer, the company filed for bankruptcy. The era of commercial satellite phones was over before it even began.

The hope and hype of a space-age phone system was gone, and the headlines disappeared. Few noticed when the U.S. Department of Defense – one of the company’s first customers – saved the satellite infrastructure. Even fewer noticed when a group of new investors bought the company and re-branded it. And almost no one realizes how profitable this new company has become. Or that a massive equipment overhaul is about to usher in a new era of breakneck growth in a world where people, ships, airplanes and even machinery demand constant communication.

A bankrupt company with an idea ahead of its time is not the end of this story. In fact, it’s just the beginning…

The dream of a seamless mobile communication network took shape in the late 1980s. It was an engineering team at Motorola that initially had the idea for this global communication service. As it was initially designed, the system called for a network of more than 60 low-orbit satellites to provide a wireless phone signal anywhere in the world.

The idea of a satellite phone service was quite revolutionary at the time. The fact that the concept had never been attempted created several barriers for the engineers at Motorola. For starters, no commercial enterprise had yet to attempt to launch low-Earth orbit satellites for a communications system. It was a logistical nightmare that even required international diplomacy to ensure that the satellite phones would work with every single phone system in the world.

Despite the scale of the project, progress was made. Motorola spun off its space-bound division in 1998. Marketing campaigns for the new brand proclaimed, “One World…One Telephone.”

Now, keep in mind that cellular service in the mid- to late 1990s was spotty at best. And at the time, there was a legitimate debate as to how the world’s mobile communications would evolve. This new satellite phone system was launched at a time when the developed world’s cellular connectivity was still bare-bones.

If you ventured outside a major city, there was little chance you would be able to find a strong cellular signal.
But in the end, you know how the satellite versus cellular story ends. Cheaper cell towers became more ubiquitous, while crippling debt combined with far too few customers doomed the satellite phone business model. According to Reuters, the company charged thousands for one of its satellite phones – and call charges topped $7 per minute. With cellular phone networks growing, the choice was a no-brainer for potential customers looking to stay connected on the go.

But after the bankruptcy, new developments kept the satellite idea on the backburner. The Department of Defense saw a use in the vast satellite network and kept them all in commission. In fact, it was the government that helped find investors to purchase what was left of the company in 2000 for $25 million.
From the rubble of a failed idea, a new venture was born. And so far, that $25 million price tag has been more than worth it…

Now, this company is no longer an ambitious startup trying to sell $7,000 satellite phones. In 2012, this communications company is looking ahead to new opportunities in a world that is becoming more desperate to connect businesses, machines and people.

We all know that cellular telephones are here to stay. But what about the places where cellular service isn’t an option? It’s a bigger piece of the pie than you might think. In fact, only about 8% of the globe is covered by cellular phone service. That’s probably far less than you imagined… but it’s true. So when it comes to connecting vast parts of the world where traditional wireless communications aren’t available, this company and its network of satellites is there to take care of business. The implications are tremendous. Aircraft passengers won’t have to turn off cellphones during their flights, thanks to the company’s connectivity options, according to Reuters. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg…

Machine-to-machine technology is also fueling growth. Commercial shipments, airlines, vehicles and even oil rigs need to be monitored. This makes up its fastest-growing division. With seamless connectivity throughout its satellite network, this company is earning new contracts from organizations beyond government intelligence.

Source : wallstreetdaily

Google Nexus 7 vs. BlackBerry PlayBook

Apple’s iPad rules the tablet roost, but the market for 7-inch tablets is a bit of a free-for-all, and Google’s Nexus 7 and RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook  are two products battling for the same consumers at similar price points.

The Nexus 7 comes off a hot summer that saw it sold out after it launched in July. At $209 for the 8GB version and $259 for the 16GB, customers had little reason to argue with the price. Of course, there are trade-offs, what with there being no rear camera, no memory card slot and no cellular data. But an Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and a 720p HD display are compelling on their own. Oh, and it helps that it stays on for eight to 10 hours on one charge.

The Wi-Fi-only PlayBook came to market 15 months before the Nexus 7, though the 4G LTE version recently launched in August. The apples-to-apples comparison is with the Wi-Fi-only PlayBook, a much-maligned device that has undergone two price cuts in less than a year. The recent 2.1 operating system added more functionality to the tablet that brings it closer to what the original vision was. It will also be upgradeable to BlackBerry 10 when that finally comes to market in early 2013.

As is, the 32GB PlayBook is now just $149.99, while the 64GB is $219.99. That’s four times the internal memory of the 16GB Nexus 7 for $40 less. A good deal, or a smokescreen for a product lacking in other key areas?

The answer to that largely comes from accessibility and compatibility. In that sense, the Nexus 7 wins because Android trumps the PlayBook’s operating system in both respects. It has more apps, offers more variety and can interface with more accessories and third-party products than the PlayBook can.

Netflix, Kindle, Firefox, Dropbox, TuneIn and a wide swath of games and useful apps aren’t available on the PlayBook like they are on the Nexus 7. What BlackBerry App World offers are alternative and workaround apps.

Kobo instead of Kindle. SimpleBrowser instead of Firefox. Netflix doesn’t support the PlayBook, but Flix offers a way to make it happen. Forget finding TuneIn, so look for BlackBerry Radio to fill in with its 50,000 radio stations.

There are plenty of business apps in Google Play, but the PlayBook has more variety and better security. Some even interface with BlackBerry phones. Multitasking is great on the PlayBook, and watching movies or shows stored on either device isn’t all that different, except for screen resolution.

The PlayBook can run Android apps, but only the ones that have been ported over to App World. Tech-savvy users can install unsupported ones through a process called “sideloading”, which requires an app called DDPB be installed first.

What matters here depends on how you measure either tablet’s ability to do what you actually want it to do. For convenience and playing around, the Nexus 7 wins. For basic tasks and something small business-friendly, the PlayBook is a good bet.

Source : calgaryherald

Review: Nexus 7 tablet

The Nexus 7 sets the new gold standard for budget tablets.

After several years of watching manufacturers achieve mixed results with Android tablets, Google has finally had enough. Much like Microsoft’s forthcoming Surface tablets, the Nexus 7 is an attempt to marry the company’s popular OS with the quality of hardware it deserves – and at the right price.

It isn’t technically a Google tablet. You won’t find the company’s name on the device at all. Instead, Google has co-opted an Asus tablet first seen at CES in January, reworked some aspects and come up with something it was happy with – although only Asus has its name on the device.

Whoever takes the credit, the Nexus 7 has attracted plenty of attention with its mouth-watering sub-$300 price tag. For that money, you get a narrow device with a 7in widescreen display, a first look at Android’s 4.1 Jelly Bean update, and even a $25 Google Play voucher.

Little wonder
It’s immediately obvious that the Nexus 7 is a cut above most budget tablets. It’s just the right size and weight (340g) to fit in the hand, and its mottled rear panel feels soft on the palm. A speaker grille sits just below the Asus logo, with power and volume controls on the right edge, and headphone and micro-USB sockets on the bottom edge. It’s sparse, but its gentle curves mean that it feels far from cheap.

The screen is a 1280 x 800 IPS panel, making for a pixel density of 216ppi – not up there with the iPad, but higher than any smaller tablet we’ve seen. It’s pretty sharp and readable, and the wide aspect makes movie-watching a treat. We measured the maximum brightness at 330cd/m2 and the contrast at 1100:1. Our only complaint is that colours lack punch, with a washed-out look that’s noticeable next to more expensive tablets. The speaker on the rear delivers alright sound but you’ll want to keep your headphones to hand.

Inside, Asus has installed a quad-core 1.3GHz Tegra 3 chip and 1GB of RAM, so this is a blisteringly fast device. It scored 3687 in the Quadrant benchmark and took 1799ms to complete the SunSpider JavaScript test – both scores are as fast as tablets at twice the price. It effortlessly ran every app we threw at it, including the intensive Shadowgun and the oddly demanding Angry Birds Space, and everything about the OS feels smooth and responsive in a way that Android just hasn’t managed until now – Jelly Bean’s Project Butter advancements have clearly smoothed out many aspects. It did get slightly hot after prolonged gaming, but never dangerously so; we measured the back at 42°C.

With all that power crammed into such a small device, battery life is hugely important. Asus has squeezed in a non-removable 4325mAh battery, and the Nexus 7 ran dry after 8hrs 48mins of running a video on loop at half brightness with Wi-Fi disabled. This result isn’t anywhere near the best in its field, but it’s perfectly acceptable for a travelling device.

There are only three areas in which the budget obviously shows. First, there’s no camera on the rear, leaving you with an average 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera. Second, although it’s advanced enough to include NFC, there’s no 3G option.

Finally, there’s the issue of storage: the Nexus 7 is available in 8GB ($249) and 16GB ($299) flavours, with no card slots to add to that. Even with its modest price, we’d be reluctant to buy the cheaper model – with the focus on content consumption, you’d fill that 8GB in no time at all.

Source : pcauthority