CES 2012
The grand-daddy of consumer electronics shows takes place the week of January 9th. A lot of cell phone news is expected, from LG, Samsung, Nokia, AT&T, Sprint, and more. We'll be reporting all week from Las Vegas, with liveblogs, hands-on reports, and other news . Our CES page collects all of our CES news in one place.
Motorola Adding Chrome Support to Next-Gen Webtop
Motorola is working on a next-generation version of its Webtop mobile application that will add support for Google's Chrome browser. In an interview with The Verge, Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha said, "What we call the next generation of Webtop will have more capabilities," adding that the switch to Android 4.0 will lead to a smoother user experience. Webtop allows Motorola phones to connect to a lapdock device and use a full browser and Android applications on the larger screen. The first generation supports Mozilla's Firefox browser instead of Chrome. Jha also revealed that only 9% of Webtop-enabled device owners are using the Webtop application. Jha didn't say when the next version of Webtop will be available.
Motorola to Add Intel to Android Smartphones
Motorola and Intel today announced a new partnership that will result in Motorola using Intel's Atom processors in future Android smartphones and tablets. The two companies called it a "multi-year, multi-device strategic relationship." Motorola didn't provide details on any specific Intel-based Android devices.
Motorola Plans for Fewer Phones This Year
Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha today indicated that the company hopes to make fewer phones during 2012 in order to conserve marketing resources. In an interview with The Verge, Jha also said that Motorola needs to be able to differentiate the Motorola experience when compared to the competition. "Verizon and AT&T don't want seven stock ICS devices on their shelves. The vast majority of the changes we make to the OS are to meet the requirements that carriers have." In short, Motorola will continue to offer its own user experience on Android devices, but there will be fewer of them this year.
Hands On with the Moto Droid 4 and Droid RAZR MAXX
Motorola has a couple of new LTE Droids here at CES. The Droid 4 brings the original Droid series in the 4G era. The Droid RAZR MAXX uses RAZR engineering to deliver unheard-of battery life. We go hands-on with both.
Motorola, Verizon Announce Droid RAZR MAXX
Motorola and Verizon today announced the Droid RAZR MAXX, a new flagship Droid RAZR phone. The MAXX boasts a massive 3300 mAh battery that can sustain 21 straight hours of talk time, yet measures only 8.9 mm thick (compared to the Droid RAZR's 7.1 mm.) The display measures 4.3 inches and uses Super AMOLED Advanced technology, like the Droid RAZR. The processor is 1.2 GHz dual-core and LTE data is included. The camera is 8-megapixel. It also contains 32 GB of internal memory. The MAXX will come to market "in the coming weeks" for $300 with two-year contract.
Verizon and Motorola Debut the Droid 4
Verizon Wireless today announced the Motorola Droid 4, the fourth-generation Android device that has a 4-inch qHD display and support for Verizon Wireless's Long Term Evolution 4G network. The Droid 4 is a sideways slider that has a full QWERTY keyboard and a dual-core 1.2GHz processor. The Droid 4 also includes a water-repellant coating; 16GB of on-board memory; an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture and Mirror Mode to display images and video on an HDTV; and compatibility with Motorola's Lapdock accessories. It runs Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, and will be updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The Motorola Droid 4 will be available in the coming weeks. Pricing wasn't disclosed.
