Motorola's Milestone XT720 makes US debut... on Cincinnati Bell

We aren't quite sure what kind of deal Cincinnati Bell has going on, but darn if this regional carrier doesn't score some fairly fantastic handsets. Also known for landing Nokia's white E71 and its XpressMusic 5800 first in the US, the operator is now the first American home to Motorola's Milestone XT720. As we'd heard most recently, the smartphone packs a 720MHz TI OMAP3440 processor, 3.7-inch FWVGA touchpanel (854 x 480), Android 2.1, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, an inbuilt accelerometer, USB 2.0 connectivity, proximity sensor, 8 megapixel camera (with Xenon flash) and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It's yours for the taking -- provided that you reside in southeastern Indiana, southwestern Ohio or northwestern Kentucky, that is -- but the $199.99 on contract ($449.99 sans strings) price tag might just push towards more fully featured alternatives. Tough call, we know.




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Motorola Droid X stars in its clearest off-the-cuff preview yet (update: comparison shots!)

Let's be honest, we've seen more Droid X / Xtreme / Shadow spy shots than we can keep track of at this point, but for the latest batch, Mr. Blurrycam must've forgot his trademark blur filter and delivered us the cleanest images yet -- for shame, we know. Here's what the current owners of the super-secret phone, Gadget University, are claiming: 4.3-inch screen (it seems to jump between 4.3 and 4.1, depending on whom you ask), 1GHz Snapdragon processor, HDMI out, HD video recording, Android 2.1 with a "new version of Motoblur" (Ninjablur, you say?), and hardware navigation buttons. The Verizon logo is again unmistakably clear, and according to the site's "inside information," the Droid X (as the Model number says) is coming next month, with training beginning at the end of this month.

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Motorola Flipout official: Android 2.1 and enhanced Motoblur coming to Europe in Q2 2010

Motorola's quirky square-shaped Android 2.1 creation has just become official, courtesy of the company's YouTube channel.The Flipout brings a 2.8-inch, 320 x 240 screen (Kin killer!), a 3 megapixel camera with "one-touch" uploads to Facebook, MySpace and photo-hosting sites, and a refreshed implementation of Motoblur, which now includes resizable widgets, feed filters, and push corporate email. We hear that last feature is a real must-have with the target audience of this device.Video of the Flipout can be found just after the break, and Euro readers can expect it imminently, as the listed Q2 2010 launch date basically means it'll be out by month's end. Wonder how they'll price a curious creature like this.

Update: Our pals at Recombu got a quick hands-on with the Flipout, and... it's a square Android phone. Video after the break.

Update 2: We've come across a more comprehensive spec sheet on Moto's dev site, which lists AT&T- and Rogers-compatible 3G bands, make of that what you will.

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Motorola Droid Shadow / Xtreme pictured again, powered by Ninjablur?

Because we can't seem to get enough Motorola Droid Shadow / Xtreme teasers in our lives, here's a few more with which to tide you over. First on the docket is a pair of pics from Droid Life, with the screen-saving film intact (and a still-visible Verizon logo underneath) and a cleaner side shot of its bulbous derriere. If that wasn't enough, the clue-dropper wnrussell of HowardForums -- who gave us the vast majority of the previous leaks -- is back showing off a 1500mAh battery and claiming a name for that monochrome Motoblur-esque skin we saw earlier. In his words, "Ninja Blur is Blur running without the user knowing. For those who don't like Blur." Translation: it's an Android skin that does very little but make aesthetic differentiators and probably slows down the processing speed a bit. Any chance the ninja can go into hiding in lieu of a vanilla robot experience?

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Boost Mobile launches Motorola i1 on June 20

Since the Android-powered i1 was originally announced for Sprint's Direct Connect service, you might've assumed that it'd be the first to get a hard launch date -- but subsidiary Boost Mobile is breaking that news first for some reason with the announcement today that the phone is coming June 20 in Boost retail stores plus Bust Buy locations. Pricing hasn't been announced, but Best Buy had previously teased it for $350, so we wouldn't expect this to be a cheap purchase; then again, you've gotta remember that it's coming at you contract-free. Not like you'll be unlocking it and taking it to another iDEN network either way, right?

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Motorola Ruth / Flipout leaks again, due in June?

We're still not quite sure to make of this odd little square of a Motorola, but it certainly looks like it's coming our way soon: Italian site Zumo says the Ruth (or Flipout, as we've seen it called) is actually the Moto MB511, and it's due out sometime in June. We're also told that it'll have WiFi, GPS, and a memory card slot, but that's pretty par for the course -- what we're really curious about it how this thing actually works in person. We'll just have to wait and find out.

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Motorola 'Xtreme' coming to Verizon?

We wish we had more detail to give you, but we've gotten reliable word that Verizon will begin testing a new Android-powered device from Motorola next week called the "Xtreme." We don't have specs handy, but considering that Big Red's got the Devour and the Droid is well on its way to middle age, it would make sense for a new phone from Moto (particularly one with such an Xtreme-ly awesome name) to be more toward the high end of the spectrum -- possibly something along the lines of the rumored Shadow (pictured). Will give you more details just as soon as we have them.

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Motorola Motoroi getting Android 2.1, bound for UK?

There's no word yet on when the Motorola Motoroi will make it to T-Mobile (in the industry we call that "the T-Motoroiola rumor") but there has definitely been a good deal of chatter concerning this handset. The latest has Pocket-lint confirming a UK release with Moto itself. Offering similarities to Taipei's HSPA-lovin' XT701, users in Ol' Blighty (and the rest of the UK) can look forward to an 8-megapixel camera (with a Xenon flash), support for 720p video, mini HDMI, and an unspecified processor boost. In addition, Android 2.1 is likely to be part of the deal. We have neither a timeline nor a price, and the veracity of this rumor is yet to be established (although it does seem like a no-brainer), but if this all goes down as Pocket-lint says it will you can color us Yanks mighty jealous.

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Editorial: What happened to the US-spec Motorola MOTOROI?

Motorola, in case you haven't noticed, hasn't done much in the way of high-spec gear since the announcement of the original Droid way back in October of last year -- and, well, that's a problem for a company that's in the midst of trying to kick-start a recovery to get its corporate split off on the right foot. The so-called Sholes Tablet -- alternatively known as the XT720 or the MOTOROI -- had seemed destined to become Moto's next volley thanks to comments by SK Telecom and Motorola execs at the phone's Korean launch, even going so far as to call out a March launch window, but March has come and gone and the phone is nowhere to be found. Heck, we even found FCC evidence that the phone would be hitching up with T-Mobile, but that was way back in January and we're on the cusp of Summer now.

We understand that delays happen in this business -- in fact, delays always happen -- but these protracted, phased roll-outs around the globe are never good for a product's image since the last markets to get the product have been exposed to it (thanks in part to yours truly) for months. This would be a killer high-end device for T-Mobile USA, but it's got to launch immediately; the Nexus One's been out there since January, and we can pretty much guarantee that Google doesn't intend to back down with the superphone assault. We suppose it's possible that the Sholes Tablet will actually reemerge as the "Nexus Two" -- Sanjay Jha wants to offer a Nexus-branded phone, after all -- but however it comes out, it's got to happen right now. Trust us, Motorola -- you've got a golden opportunity to learn from Sony Ericsson's mistakes on this one.

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Milestone gets Android 2.1 update in UK, available to download now

The saga of the Milestone's firmware update to Android 2.1 is finally over for one more territory. The United Kingdom is today awaking to the news that Motorola has made the freshest Eclair available to its loyal British users, with the download already awaiting those eager to be surfing along the cutting edge of Android innovation. What else do you need to know, it's the finest software Google has to offer for your phone and it's downloadable at the source link -- get going!

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Motorola Backflip comes to Telus

Moto promised the Backflip (among other Android-powered wares) to its Canadian fans back in March, and it's now delivering thanks to an official launch on Telus. As you can clearly see, the phone isn't quite the same thing that AT&T customers are grabbing -- the outer bezel is a darker shade, something we suspect a good deal of users might prefer -- but otherwise, it's got the same processor, 5 megapixel camera, 3.1-inch HVGA display, and wacky hinge that we're already well-accustomed with. Whether that's a good thing or not... well, we'll leave that for potential buyers to decide, but you can pick it up for CAD $100 (about $99) on a three-year deal.

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Motorola posts another tiny quarterly profit, phone division not yet pulling its weight (update)

Moto's earnings for the first quarter came out today, and they pretty much echo what the company managed to do in the fourth quarter of 2009 -- pull a small profit thanks to performance from the Home, Enterprise Mobility, and Network groups in the face of an operating loss from the Mobile Devices (read: phones) division. Unfortunately, all of the numbers are just a little bit worse across the board; Motorola didn't have any Droid-style blockbuster launches or major gift-giving holidays to help it along this quarter, and ended up dropping $192 million in the hole compared to $132 million in the quarter prior. Co-CEO Sanjay Jha still seems upbeat, though -- and he'd better, considering that he'll lead the spun-off phone division after the breakup -- pointing out that shipments actually increased in the quarter with the release of six new handsets. When you throw all the numbers together, the combined company posted $69 million in earnings, down from $142 million in the fourth quarter; hey, that's still better than a loss, especially considering that it's estimating considerably higher earnings in the current quarter. Follow the break for Motorola's release.

Update: Despite the slight profit, poor phone sales may have finally cost Motorola the stateside mobile crown. The Associated Press is reporting that with 8.8 million iPhones sold in Q1, Apple has edged out Motorola as the largest phone maker in the US.

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Motorola CLIQ XT update rolling out -- and no, it's not Android 2.1

The CLIQ's keyboardless cousin is getting a software update as we speak -- but unfortunately, it's probably not quite what you were hoping for. In fact, the T-Mobile Community board post officially announcing the CLIQ XT upgrade had to specifically call out the fact that this isn't Android 2.1, proof positive that there's a ton of interest in getting these things on something fresher than the 1.5 they launched on. Anyhow, the update still looks like a good one, promising to improve "overall phone performance" and tweak visual voicemail, Bluetooth, touchscreen accuracy, messaging, and camera issues. T-Mobile says you're welcome to wait for the on-screen notification, or you can manually check for the update in Settings and you should be able to pick it up. Good luck, folks.



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Motorola RAZR3 comes back from the dead for a very special hands-on video

While you're still trying to decide whether or not we've entered the post-Moto era (maybe recent sales numbers were but a mere hiccup) might we interest you in a hands-on of Motorola's doomed RAZR3 (aka Ruby)? Featuring an improved interface, GPS, FM radio, and a touchscreen, this would have been the phone to beat -- in 2006. For a closer look at the dumphone that almost was, check out the video after the break.



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Sense UI ROM available for Droid; is nothing sacred?

It seems that man's mad quest to unite Sense UI and Droid continue at breakneck speed. This next bit of evidence comes from the blurrycam of AllDroid forum member Greek35T, and befitting its status as an experimental Alpha release, there are a few hiccups. Data is available when 3G is enabled, but not voice (although a quick perusal of the forum has indicated that at least one user has had success placing 3G calls -- but none receiving them). Bluetooth is also out of the question, for the time being -- as is airplane mode and the GPS (although aGPS seems to be working fine). That said, you do get Flash (as a rousing game of Alien Attack demonstrates). See for yourself after the break -- or hit the source link to try it out for yourself. You know, if you're crazy like that.



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Motorola Milestone gets 2.1 firmware upgrade in Hong Kong, Europe to follow by 'end of March'

Look away now, Droid owners, as Motorola's finally uploaded the Milestone's Android 2.1 firmware update to its servers. It's only officially sanctioned for users in Hong Kong and Macau for now, but judging by the inclusion of a Dutch language pack in the new firmware, it looks like it's the same stuff that will shortly be rolling out all across Europe as well. In addition to the funky live wallpapers, users will also get a new feature called Motorola Car Home -- a special interface for in-car usage -- along with some speed improvements. Now, we're not exactly sure what the rollout plan is for each nation, but Moto's Facebook page tells us we'll see an end to the Milestone's upgrade saga before March is through. The source contains a direct link to the fresh firmware file, and you can find a straightforward upgrade how-to at Android World below. We'll be right here for your upgrade stories.

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Motorola's unlocked A45 Eco ready to green you up

We'd originally though this one was a South American special, but Motorola has now started selling the MOTOCUBO A45 as the "Eco" through its North American direct-to-consumer store. It's a low-end device -- don't expect Android here -- but $160 really isn't bad for a full QWERTY slider with a 2 megapixel cam, 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD support up to 32GB, and a QVGA display, especially consider that it comes unlocked and unbranded. The "Eco" label comes from the fact that the phone is made from recycled and corn-based materials -- not unlike the Renew -- so if you're in the market for a text-centric backup phone, this might just be an interesting option that won't keep you up at night thinking about the environmental destruction you've caused. It's available right now.

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Motorola's Android-powered i1 launching at CTIA

With CTIA still a day away, we're stoked to have already seen a giant billboard near the convention center confirming the rumored Motorola i1. Of course, billboards rarely offer much insight into the device's specifics, but there is a pretty decent view of the UI and its slogan: "Grab Life by the Calls." As you'd expect, we'll be all over this set just as soon as we can get at one, but in the interim follow on for one more pic after the break that features the i1's poster boy, Mike Rowe of Discovery's Dirty Jobs.

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Motorola makes i1 official, melds Android and push-to-talk this summer on Sprint

Right on cue, just after the aptly-timed teaser poster, Motorola signs on just the right dotted lines to make its i1 push-to-talk Android handset official. Let's run through the specs quickly, shall we? A 3.1-inch HVGA (320 x 480) touchscren, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and 4x zoom, WiFi, and microSD expansion -- no mention of the processor, so we'll have to find out on our own later. The OS version is 1.5 and, while there's oddly not a single mention in either the press release of fact sheet, given the official images and unofficial leaks, it's definitely got Motoblur. The browser of choice is Opera Mini 5 with support for Flash 8, and if you're worried about Mother Nature's wrath, the i1 meets Military 810F standards for handling averse weather conditions. iDEN lovers can pick up the call sometime this summer on Sprint, with price yet to be named.

Update: Motorola's just sent word that the i1 does not have Motoblur, despite the presence of the traditional green call / blue contacts buttons. That begs the question, then, of what exactly defines Motoblur here (is just the Happenings widget missing?), and what Android skin is on the i1 -- the press images here are definitely not showing vanilla 1.5. We're still awaiting a response to that, stay tuned.

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Droid's recent update boosts battery life?

That tiny over-the-air update that Droids have started receiving this week might be more important than just the Facebook issues it seemed to patch up, which really wouldn't come as much of a surprise considering the amount of testing rigor Verizon undoubtedly put that poor update package through prior to release. PhoneArena is reporting that users are seeing significantly improved battery life -- always a welcome change, no matter how good battery life might be to start -- and that the new ROM also makes some unspecified changes in preparation for that Android 2.1 support that Motorola has said we'll be getting. Let us know when you get this and keep an eye on your juice; we'll be doing the same.

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