Multiple Verizon Motorola DROID devices seeing KitKat OTA’s, others getting bug Fixes
It isn’t much of a secret that the Motorola DROID line of devices was the first line of Android powered devices that brought Motorola back into the spotlight. A curious amount of variants sprung up after the first DROID RAZR hit the scene and many of us were pretty excited to Motorola back in the game. It slowed a bit for them until the more recent Moto X and Moto G hit the scene. While the DROID line is aging, it isn’t entirely dead. Heck, I still know a few people locally that use their DROID RAZR MAXX daily and have no plans to trade it in anytime soon. If you happen to be one of those die hard DROID fans with Verizon then we have some great news for you. It looks like you probably have an update waiting for you.
That is correct, a rather large list of devices has hit the Verizon support pages and almost all of them are scheduled to be gaining Android 4.4.2 KitKat. That list includes the RAZR M, RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD. You guys will be looking at, not only an OS update, but also an updated version of the DROID zap app, security patches, Wi-Fi fixes and roaming issues resolved. The RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD will also be picking up some HDMI implementations, but the specifics aren’t clear yet.
On the other side of the coin, the DROID Mini, DROID Ultra and DROID MAXX also have a set of updates starting as well. Sadly, it isn’t Android 4.4.2 , yet. You guys will be getting some bug fixes and roaming enhancements along with the swap for the KitKat white notification icons in your status bar. We can only hope that these devices will see kKitKat 4.4.2 some time shortly after this obviously smaller maintenance update.
As always, these updates will be rolling out in stages. Don’t be surprised if you don’t see it immediately. You can always head into settings and ping for the update if you really want too. If you do see the update pop up, make sure you have well over 50% battery life, a solid Wi-Fi connection and some time to kill to download and install the file.
Source: AndroidPolice
Update info pages:
Motorola DROID RAZR HD / RAZR MAXX HD
Motorola DROID Ultra / DROID MAXX
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Lenovo’s ThinkPad 10 tablet brings a sharper screen, loads of accessories
Some companies throw gadget spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. Others… keep the same tablets around for nearly two years. We’ve seen Lenovo be both those companies, frankly, but when it comes to its business line, at least, it tends to move at a more glacial pace. Case in point: Nearly two years after announcing the ThinkPad Tablet 2, Lenovo has finally unveiled its successor, the previously leaked ThinkPad 10. Even then, it feels like more of the same: a 10-inch tablet with an Intel Atom processor, dual 2MP/8MP cameras and a 10-hour battery. This time, though, it brings a sharper, 1,920 x 1,200 display, effectively matching rival tablets in this price range. Like its predecessor, it’ll be offered with options for pen support, TPM, 4G and fingerprint/Smart Card readers, though we’re told most of those features, save for pen support, won’t be available at launch. Under the hood, it runs Windows 8 Pro, with a quad-core Bay Trail CPU and 64GB-128GB of storage (expandable via microSD). Prices start at $499, with shipments starting sometime in June.
Got it? Good. Even more than the tablet, we think you’ll be interested in the accessories — and there are lots of them. First up is a $129 keyboard case, with chiclet-style keys, a multitouch trackpad and a slot for the pen (you know, should you get one of the pen-enabled models). Then there’s the lighter-weight folio case, which has a flatter, Surface-style keyboard — one with concave, space-saving buttons. That, too, has a pen holster, and will retail for $119 when it arrives this summer.
Moving on, there’s yet another case — a ruggedized model with an adjustable hand strap on the back, gaskets around the ports and, yes, a place to stow your pen. And, because it’s difficult to remove and put on (we can vouch for that), it’s designed so that you can dock it with the case still on. That will arrive sometime this summer for $69. Speaking of docking, by the way, there will also be a $119 base station (the one you see in the photo above), which adds three USB 3.0 ports, with one always on so that you can charge something else, like your phone. In addition, it features an HDMI socket along with an Ethernet jack.
Wrapping up, Lenovo is making a bigger version of its Quickshot case — the same one it already sells alongside its ThinkPad 8 tablet. As ever, the hook there is that when you pull back the dog-eared corner, the camera app automatically opens so that you can — wait for it — quickly take a shot. That will retail for $59. Finally, if you want to buy the pen on its own, that’ll be $50. So, uh, don’t lose the pen that comes with your tablet, OK?
Unannounced Moto G with LTE pops up on Amazon
As good a deal as the Moto G might be for frugal smartphone shoppers, it doesn’t have speedy LTE data; for some, that’s practically a deal-breaker. However, it might get that often-sought upgrade relatively soon. Amazon has posted listings for two unannounced Moto G variants with “universal LTE,” including one in a previously unavailable white hue. Detailed store pages are sadly missing, but both entries mention a $220 price (slightly above the $200 you’d pay for a 16GB 3G model) and a June 30th ship date. We’d also expect these to work only with GSM-based networks like AT&T and T-Mobile, so don’t count on there being a Verizon equivalent.
Sounds good, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, it’s hard to determine how much Amazon really knows. The picture of the Moto G LTE clearly isn’t for the current edition, but the launch details could easily be little more than placeholder info. A June release would line up with earlier rumors from Xataka, though, and it’s not far-fetched to see this model carrying a slight price premium. We may get the full scoop before long, at any rate. Motorola is holding a big event on the 13th — many expect it to focus on the Moto E, but there’s nothing precluding an update to the company’s existing budget handset at the same time.
[Thanks, anonymous]
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google, Lenovo
Source: Amazon, Juan Garzon (Google+)
Square to replace its digital wallet app with one that lets you order dinner
Square pulled its Wallet app from the App Store Monday in order to make way for something new: Square Order. With Wallet, you could check in to a restaurant and pay your bill using just your name. With Order, you can still pay, except now you can select your artisan grilled cheese while en route to the cafe down the street and complete the transaction on your phone, bypassing the line entirely. It’s not just for restaurants either — we took it for a test drive in February , where we purchased a scarf from Uniqlo. Square followed that trial with beta testing in several take-out restaurants in the San Francisco and New York, which is also where Order is launching today. If you don’t live in either city, you won’t be able to use the app for now. However, you can get roughly the same experience on the web through Square’s recently announced product Pickup.
It’s not unlike what some other services like PayPal, GoPago and OrderAhead are already doing — the difference is Square can offer the experience for its existing merchants using the point of sale system they already have set up. As for Wallet, being removed from the App Store doesn’t mean it isn’t going to work anymore – yet. Square says it plans to support the app at least until Order is available everywhere. When it is, the company will reach out to customers who are still using Wallet and encourage them to make the switch, after which it will likely get rid of it for good. By that time, we can’t imagine anyone will complain. Because what’s better than telling someone to put your triple-extra-hot-latte on “Bob?” Not spending 20 minutes in line waiting for the opportunity.
Lighter tracks your smoking habits to shame you to quit
Ask any smoker: quitting is hard. Cigarettes become a part of your daily life, a habit that’s not only hard to break, but hard to keep track of. “Tracking is one of the most important factors in one’s health,” Ata Ghofrani told us at a recent Haxlr8r event. “Being cognizant of our smoking behavior.” Ghofrani and his partner, Kuji Nakano were looking for a way to track and reduce their smoking behavior, but found most health apps were dedicated to promoting positive behavior, not reducing negative ones. They soon teamed up to create Quitbit: a cigarette lighter that keeps track of how much you smoke.
At a glance, the Quitbit looks an awful lot like a regular Zippo-style lighter, albeit a Zippo with a screen. This small LED display (pictured above on an early prototype) runs a tally of how many cigarettes you smoke each day and how long it’s been since you last lit up. This data alone is enough to give smokers some accountability, but it can do more. A companion smartphone app can be used to track the data over longer periods of time, set goals, share successes with an online community and even track how much money smokers have saved from cutting back. The lighter can also be programmed not to work for extended periods — forcing smokers to cut back to a set amount of cigarettes each day.
It’s a neat device for smokers looking to quantify their habit, but it won’t completely replace your traditional lighter: the gizmo is all-electric, meaning it uses a coiled heating element instead of the usual flame. Still, if you’re looking to put a number on your oral fixation, check out the product’s Kickstarter page: it just launched.
Filed under: Misc
Source: Kickstarter
Near collision with airliner prompts US to crack down on drone use
The FAA might not have full legal authority to regulate drones just yet, but it at least has some evidence to support its case for tighter restrictions. The administration’s Jim Williams has revealed that an unmanned vehicle nearly smacked into a US Airways jetliner in Florida this past March; it came so close that the pilot was initially convinced there would be damage. While the remote-controlled aircraft was already violating rules by flying at 2,300 feet (it had to stay below 400 feet), Williams used the incident to argue for a better-safe-than-sorry approach to drone rules. It could be “catastrophic” if one of these vehciles gets sucked through an engine, he said.
The FAA already has plans to clamp down; it’s proposing rules for commercial drones in November. However, it may be years before these policies take effect. That could be a problem not just for the government agency, but also those wanting to use unmanned craft for everything from ads to journalism. Without clear guidelines, some companies have been eager to test the FAA’s limits — there may well be more legal battles (and potentially, accidents) until there are official rules on the books.
[Image credit: Daniel Betts, Flickr]
Filed under: Robots, Transportation
Via: CNN
SAM packs full-home control into a powerstrip
Home automation gadgets that allow you to remotely turn things on and off are certainly nothing new, but SensePlug’s SAM duo offers that and a lot more. The smart plug and power strip also houses sensors for tracking motion, temperature and ambient light. Alongside a companion app, this additional tech will allow you to set up “SmartRules” for the automated tasks. It’s kind of like IFTTT for your house. For example, you can dial in SAM to turn on a fan when the temperature rises above 75 or flip on the lights when it starts to get dark. Heck, you can even use the motion sensors to flip on the lights if someone gets in while you’re out. What’s more, the SAM Plug and Strip can also measure the energy use of whatever devices you happen to have plugged in. While SAM currently has just over 30 days left to go on Kickstarter, a $49 pledge will nab you a single smart plug and $109 nets a strip — if you happen to miss the early adopter incentives.
Filed under: Household
Source: Kickstarter
Engadget Daily: Twitter Mute, what you need to know about smart guns and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
What you need to know about smart guns
Nowadays, guns can shoot around corners, aim themselves and even use an iPhone as a scope. But what classifies such weapons as “smart?” Read on as our own Terrence O’Brien discusses the tech and implications surrounding the world’s smartest firearms.
Inmarsat offers airlines free global tracking to prevent another MH370
In hopes of preventing another flight MH730 situation, satellite tracking company Inmarsat is offering its services to all passenger airlines. And though the effort will cost around $3 million annually to implement, the company isn’t going to charge a single dime.
Twitter shuts up your annoying friends with Mute
Today, Twitter announced a new feature that lets you temporarily mute annoying people in your feed, rather than unfollow them. Don’t worry, you can unmute them again once they’ve stopped ranting.
Square’s new app lets you pre-order food and drink before picking it up
Today, Square launched Square Order: a new app that let’s customers place pickup orders with Square-powered cafes, restaurants or shops. So far, it’s only available in New York and San Francisco, but more cities are promised soon.
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Filed under: Misc
All of the US government’s spending will soon be available on one website
US government spending data can be a pain to track down; while much of it is publicly accessible, it’s scattered across many agencies that have their own ways of presenting information. Soon, though, you won’t have hunt for it at all. The recently signed DATA (Digital Accountability and Transparency) Act will publish all of that financial material on USASpending.gov in an easily readable, software-independent format. The law also calls for both more detailed budget data and a simplified set of reporting requirements.
Don’t expect greater transparency overnight. You can visit the website today, but the overhaul may take up to three years to complete. It’s also unlikely to shed light on secret programs at institutions like the NSA, where line-by-line fiscal details are normally kept under wraps. Nonetheless, the DATA Act should eventually make it much easier for Americans to spot wasteful spending, and even fraud — there’s a real chance that the revamp could pay for itself.
[Image credit: Mauro Parra-Miranda, Flickr]
Filed under: Internet
Via: InformationWeek, The Verge
Source: The White House, Senator Mark Warner
Custom controller lets disabled man dig into Minecraft using his eyebrows
Alexander Kostov has spinal muscular atrophy, a disease that makes impossible for him to use most traditional game controllers. Rather than let that hold him back, he just got creative with the help of UK-based gaming charity Special Effect. The company outfitted him with a rig to play titles like Minecraft and FIFA using his eyebrows. Kostov started out in 2013 with a custom controller that used voice commands as well as hand and eye movements. After using it for a while, he found that the original controls were useful but too subtle for some games — he needed a more precise solution. Kostov tried out a few different options, including a sip/puff switch that would give him control using breath, and finally settled on a head-mounted impulse switch that’s trigged by muscle movement near his eyebrows. With the system he can play FIFA using his old voice and eye controls, and then use his eyebrows as an extra level of control to do things like pass the ball or shoot.
The controller is one of many Special Effect has created to help disabled gamers. Some of the group’s previous projects include giving an Xbox joystick to a 6-year-old who couldn’t handle the traditional controller, and helping a wounded soldier find a way to play his favorite games using just one hand. The company offers the solutions (which are often quite expensive) to gamers for free from the group’s “loan library.“
Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals, Science
Via: Kotaku
Source: Special Effect
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