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It's that time again, custom ROM fans. The oh-so-versatile Android Open Kang Project has released its fourth 4.2 build, this time updated to the latest 4.2.2 AOSP code. While feature additions beyond the ones added by Google themselves are few and far between, the list of supported devices for AOKP 4.2 has greatly expanded. Most of the phones in question come from Verizon's Motorola stable.
When Motorola announced a few months back that it was not going to update most of its 2011 Android devices to Jelly Bean, owners were understandably upset. Moto attempted to calm the masses by offering a $100 trade-in credit. Now the details have been finalized and the program is looking much less appealing than everyone had hoped.
Motorola Confirms Via Twitter That Older Devices Will Not Receive Bootloader Unlock Tools
Motorola Confirms Via Twitter That Older Devices Will Not Receive Bootloader Unlock Tools
Bad news, owners of older Motorola devices. According to a tweet from Motorola's official Twitter account, if you own an aging Moto phone—including the Droid 3, Bionic, and Droid X2—you will not be receiving a bootloader unlock tool. While newer products like the Photon Q, as well as developer-centric devices like the RAZR Developer Edition and the not-quite-Nexus Xoom are supported, Moto has no plans to add any of its older lineup to the supported list.
Owners of the Motorola Droid 3 are getting a hefty over the air system update that addresses a number of concerns with the firmware and included apps. Firmware version 5.7.905 clocks in at 224.8MB in size, so make sure you allow at least an hour on Verizon's 3G to pull down the file.
Paper Camera, one of the most successful camera apps on the Android Market, got an update to version 2.0 today. You may remember our preview of version 2.0 earlier this month, 2.0 being the update which promised to add video capability to the already awesome app. Well, JFDP Labs LTD has made good on that promise, and thrown in a few other tweaks as well.
An update began rolling out to Droid 3 users earlier today, upgrading the device's build to 5.6.890, and bringing with it Google Talk (with video capabilities), and a long list of bug fixes.
Skype for Android, an app that gets almost as much love as it does hate, was updated to version 2.5 a few minutes ago. Because the last update unofficially opened up Skype to all 2.2+ devices, this time around Skype simply listed 13 more devices as whitelisted and approved for video chat capabilities:
If you're one of a handful of people who have been wondering whether or not the new Droid Bionic has FM Radio capabilities, the folks at Android Central forums have confirmed that it does, and that the radio APK from the Droid 3 will let you listen whenever you want. It definitely works on our review unit:
Earlier today it was announced that the Droid 3 had officially been rooted. As previously stated, the process doesn't look all that difficult as long as you have ADB set up and ready to go. Now this process is even easier, though, as a 1-click solution has become available! That's not the best part, either -- P3Droid seems to think that this method should work on all Moto phones running Gingerbread.
The Droid 3 is the most powerful Droid to date -- its 1Ghz dual-core OMAP processor and Android 2.3.4 make it a speedy and capable device. As with most devices, D3 owners wanted root access in order to take full advantage of all that it had to offer. That day has finally arrived, as the D3 has been rooted by developer drjbliss from the XDA forums.
I know, I know. The last one was under $50, and preferably free. But in our attempt to keep you updated with the latest and greatest deals on the latest and greatest devices, we had to make sacrifices. Fortunately, that means there are also no repeat appearances from last month's post, though you should still check it out - a lot of those handsets (aside from the DROID 2) are still viable choices.
The original DROID blew everyone away. It saved Motorola from almost certain bankruptcy, breathed new life into Verizon's smartphone catalog, and made Android a desirable mobile operating system rather than a cheap alternative to iOS. In short, it ushered in a new age of Android devices.
Netflix this evening appears to have quietly unleashed the Android app on 16 more previously unsupported devices, all without updating the application at all.
I absolutely love posting deals and helping save our readers money, especially if the devices in question are brand spanking new. Therefore, today's late-Friday price drop on the Verizon Motorola Droid 3 that literally came out within the last few days, gives me double the pleasure.
I'm fairly certain that I don't need to tell anyone about the impact the original DROID had on Google's mobile OS. It almost single-handedly brought Android to the masses, saved Motorola from bankruptcy, and made Verizon's then-stale smartphone line-up interesting once more.
What day is it? Technically, you'd be correct if you answered "Thursday" or "July 14th," but in the smartphone realm? Why, today is the DROID 3's official release date, of course!
All of Motorola's recent devices (save for the XOOM) have featured bootloaders that are locked down like Fort Knox, and despite publicly stating that they would be reversing that policy, the company has yet to take any action. Although they stated they wouldn't begin making bootloaders unlockable until late 2011, many people held out hope for the newly-released Droid 3. An apparently lost hope, unfortunately, as a Motorola Support forum admin has confirmed that the hot new Droid is as locked as its brethren.
Yep, you read that right - you can pick up a DROID 3 right now from Verizon's online store, complete with free overnight shipping for $199 on a new 2-year agreement or eligible upgrade. If you're a new customer planning to switch to Verizon (or planning to add a line), it's worth noting that you'll be subject to Verizon's new tiered data plans as of today. You can also buy it off contract, and it's not too expensive, either - it'll cost you $460 commitment-free.