Android Mobiles

(Updated) The Motorola support website has posted information about the Motorola Droid update to Android 2.1, including details on exactly what you’ll get when it hits your handset. The down and dirty? You won’t get live wall papers or the cool app tray animations, but pretty much everything else is on the way.

Do the lack of live wallpapers leave you disappointed? Anything you’re REALLY looking forward to having? Personally I think the voice to virtual keyboard is crucial, but here are all the features on the way with the 2.1 update:

• Voice recognition for Virtual keyboard
• 3D Gallery
• Pinch-to-Zoom
• News and Weather App and Widget
• Google Maps Updates
• Enhanced Music Application
• Google Goggles App
• Other Enhancements

Don’t believe me? See for yourself.

PS: Where are our 5 screens?!?!?! I hope that is included in “other enhancements”

Update: This page has been removed, but we’ve posted screenshots here.

With the rumored release of Android 2.1 for the Moto Droid this week, we also get news that Moto CLIQ user’s won’t have too wait much longer either. BGR reports that their Motorola connections say that the CLIQ will be getting the 2.1 update at some point in March. We have seen the specs of the update for the Droid and how it is missing some of the aspects of the Nexus One’s 2.1 version. I’m assuming since the CLIQ is also a Moto device that we will see a similar update, but one can only hope. Android 2.1 all around means lots of happy Android users! I can’t wait to get my update, how about you?

[via BGR]

Earlier today we told you the Motorola Droid’s update to Android 2.1 was coming very soon and now, thanks to an Official update on Motorola’s Facebook page, we know that very soon = this week!

Have your Droid’s charged and at your fingertips so when that “Do you want to update” question pops up, you’re ready to happily press Yes and get the Droid goodness  you’ve been waiting for.

Engadget is having their 2009 Engadget Awards and Android is making a case in many categories. Unfortunately, for bothh Gadget of The Year and Smartphone Of The Year the Motorola Droid is 2nd to the iPhone 3GS – BLEH! Time to rally the troops!

Head on over to Engadget 2009 Awards and VOTE FOR THE DROID wherever you see it present. Show your Android love and lets see if we can move the needle at all. Interesting sidenote: the Droid is DOMINATING for GPS Device of the year – pretty awesome considering its a phone!

I don’t usually make these types of posts but hey – Jason mailed me and requested we pool together the Android love and I couldn’t resist the idea. Thanks Jason!

There have been a BUNCH of Motorola Milestone updates over the past several days/weeks and the phone is definitely getting some nice… mileage. It’s launched in new places, gotten updates and much more. We wanted to keep you up to pace with the Motorola Droid’s twin brother so here goes nothing.

Milestone Launching On TELUS February 18th
It looks like TELUS customers only have a couple short weeks until the Motorola Milestone lands in their part of town! TELUS themselves didn’t “tell us” (see what I did there?) but BestBuy had no problem blurting something out on their website:

This also means that folks with AT&T could unlock the device and essentially get a 3G capable Droid on their carrier of choice. (Via BestBuy)

Manitoba And Sasketchawan Get SasketchaScrewed
Aren’t you happy that the Milestone is coming to Canada? If you live in Manitoba or Sasketchawan you can SHUT UP! Just like happened with the iPhone, TELUS network can’t support these areas with good enough coverage, or something. Bottom line – you can’t get the Milestone if you live in either of these places. BOOOOOOO! [Via IntoMobile]

European Milestone’s Get Android 2.0.1
Users in at least Germany, France and Italy are now able to update their Motorola Milestone to Android version 2.0.1 and if you don’t have it through an OTA update yet, can do so manually through the Motorola website. For instructions, see the unwired article with details and a walkthrough!

Milestone Lands In Taiwan
If you live in Taiwan you can rejoice – the first ever Android 2.0 phone is now available in your country and as you probably didn’t have to guess, it is the Motorola Milestone! The carrier for this one is Taiwan Mobile – enjoy! [Via Digitimes]

Anything Else?
All you phandroids with your ears to the streets and hands on your Stones for Miles (get your mind out of the gutter, I was playing with words), any Milestone updates you have either big or small?

Last week we heard that Motorola invested in ScanLife/ScanBuy. Now we’re hearing about ANOTHING investment with ANOTHER application developer with a heavy foot in the Android door. In a press release published today, Motorola announced their investment in TuneWiki.

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We first wrote about TuneWiki way back on May 10th, 2008 on our post about the ADC Round 1 winners. They’ve come a LONG way since then and are now one of the most popular applications on Android Market.

Not too long ago Motorola was considered to be selling its handset division. Now, not only is their handset division doing well, they’re investing in related company’s on the software side to strengthen their position in mobile.

Here is the full press release:

Motorola Ventures Leads Financing for TuneWiki
February 08, 2010

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. and TEL AVIV, Israel – Feb. 8, 2010 – Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), through its strategic investment arm, Motorola Ventures, today announced a strategic investment in TuneWiki Ltd., the award-winning provider of next-generation social media music players and related applications. Motorola acted as lead investor and was joined by new investors Intellect Capital Ventures, a venture fund initiative of TeliaSonera, the leading Nordic Telecommunications operator, managed by Intellect Partners, as well as HillsVen Capital, LLC and Novel TMT. TuneWiki’s previous venture capital investor, Benchmark Israel, also participated in the round.

TuneWiki will use the investment to expand and enhance its product offerings for leading mobile platforms and the Internet. The company’s upcoming releases will take further advantage of platform capabilities and new features found in recently released smartphones, including stronger CPUs, always-connected capabilities, larger displays and high-resolution screens. TuneWiki will continue to focus on the use of song lyrics in new and exciting ways that connect music fans around the world with new products, including an upcoming mobile game.

“Music is rapidly emerging as a key feature for smartphones, and TuneWiki is changing the experience of listening to music from a solitary experience to a social one,” said Reese Schroeder, managing director of Motorola Ventures. “We believe that TuneWiki has developed an innovative interactive social media player that can dramatically change the way people will listen to and interact with music.”

“Teaming up with a global company like Motorola is very exciting for us,” said Rani Cohen, CEO of TuneWiki. “We are passionate about connecting people through music, and having our applications running in many countries with different languages will allow our users to explore the world of music and better understand its meaning as part of a vibrant and engaged community.”

Very exciting; congratulations to both TuneWiki and Motorola.

I, just like any other Droid owner out there, have been envying Android 2.1 since the release of the Nexus One. Well, we’ve got news for you – Engadget reports that the 2.1 update is making its way through Verizon’s testing department! Here’s what the update is reported to include:

Current build is 2.1 Version 1.

Google Goggles pre-installed.

Multitouch enabled browser.

Home screen of 2.0.1 with no rotating 3D grid menu, maintains drawer tab.

No live wallpapers. NoOoOoOoOoo!

The news and weather widgets introduced on the Nexus One are included.

Although the release date of the update is unknown, hopefully the testing is a sign that it will be available, or leaked, soon! Check up soon as we will keep you updated as we get more info on the update. Any features that are lacking in the rumored update that you would of liked to see? I know they are just aesthetic but I would of loved the live wallpapers.

[via Engadget]

I was happy to see Megan Fox in a tub during the Motorola SuperBowl advertisement – trust me I was. But overall I was disappointed in the ad and I’ll tell you why after you watch:

Overall the ad was good. Hot celebrity. Funny approach/integration. But why would Motorola show a BRAND NEW PHONE and not even mention the name? Why would MOTOBLUR be the “product” they are trying to sell/push? If you ask me… it’s just confusing to consumers, not to mention it isn’t magnetic.

If I were directing this ad campaign I would have had Megan Fox mention the phone she was holding was the Motorola Devour instead of saying “He” and at the end I would have showcased all of the phones with MotoBlur. Just have each fly by for 1 second and use 5 seconds… still with the “Motorola.com” at the bottom, with the phone and phone names flying across the screen.

I don’t know – I just feel like Motorola spent a few million dollars and didn’t sell anything. I get the idea of “branding” and I know they’re big on MotoBlur but I feel like they could have better showcased their portfolio and explained that ALL these phones had MOTOBLUR.

What did you think about the Ad?

Oh yeah… PhoneArena is reporting the phone will launch on February 25th for “indirect channels” and in all sales channels no later than March 15th. That’s just an anonymous tip but since Verizon and Motorola have already made it official, right around the corner is a good timeframe guess.

PS: I like how PhoneArena said “too bad it doesn’t come bundled with Megan Fox.” We were all thinking the same darn thing.

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