Still hanging onto that old DROID2 or R2D2 while waiting for a phone that catches your eye? We’ve got some good news. Since it was updated to Gingerbread, rooting the D2 was a bit of a chore, but now a developer using ideas that gained the D3 root, has an easy way to root Android 2.3.4 on the DROID2. It also works on the R2D2 edition of the device as well, since they run similar builds.

On Windows, all you need to do is have the Motorola drivers and RSD Lite installed along with the file that developer phifc created. There is support for Linux as well for a bit of diversity. If you’re looking to root your phone to get a bit more use out of it, hit the source link below and happy flashing!

Via: RootzWiki

Cheers Derek!

New Root Method Found for DROID2 and R2D2, Developers Still Show Love for the Older Devices is a post from: Droid Life

We aren’t sure what took Motorola and Verizon so long, but this was the update that was included in a soak test well over a month ago for the DROID 2. It’s build 4.5.621 and is essentially the same as the update we saw for the R2-D2 version of the phone at the end of March. It’s nothing major, other than the fact that it probably tries to break root, hence the “Google Security Patch” that comes with it. Otherwise, it appears as if this update was ready long ago, as the support doc was created all of the way back in February. Weird.

Anyways, head into Settings>About>System updates and see if it as arrived yet.

The update is 14MB in size. More info.

DROID 2 4.5.621 Update Finally Arrives – Includes Security Patch and Handful of Other Fixes is a post from: Droid Life

Still humming along on Tatooine, the DROID 2 R2-D2 edition has not been forgotten. Verizon and Motorola have both approved an update that will introduce a handful of security patches (likely breaking root), bug fixes, better data connectivity, and update VZ-branded apps. While this device will likely never see Ice Cream Sandwich, at least improvements to its current state are still being issued. After the update, your R2-D2 device will run Android 2.3.4. When support docs like this show up, an update is usually pushed within a week.

More info. The update is 12MB in size.

DROID 2 R2-D2 Update to 4.5.622 is Ready – Security Patches, Bug Fixes and Android 2.3.4 on Board is a post from: Droid Life

It’s the DROID 2 this time, not the Global version which saw a soak test and changelog go live for last week.  This update could very well be almost identical to that of the D2 Global though, but we will have to wait for the release notes to know for sure. It won’t be Ice Cream Sandwich if you were holding out hope, since the DROID 2 was left off of Verizon’s list of devices scheduled to receive the Android 4.0.

See the email going out to Motorola Feedback Network members below. 

Hi,

Thanks for joining the Motorola Feedback Network. We are inviting owners of the Motorola Droid 2 on Verizon to participate in an early preview of a new software release, and provide feedback. (Please note that this test is not for Droid R2D2.) If you are not currently using a Droid 2, please excuse and ignore this email.

Click this link to take a short enrollment survey if you wish to take part. Note that you must be a member in good standing of the Motorola Owners’ Forums to be included. The registration window is short so please respond as quickly as possible.

This is a confidential test under the terms of the Motorola Feedback Network. Do not post any details or information about this on any public sites.

Thanks — please understand that start times are always fluid. We ask for your patience if you register but don’t hear from us right away.

Matt
Motorola Owners’ Forums
Motorola Feedback Network

How many of you still have a DROID 2? This is a device that seems to have disappeared from most people’s radar. Nice to see it receive some love from Big Red.

Cheers C!  

New Software Update Headed to DROID 2 is a post from: Droid Life

And just as we reported last Thursday, the DROID2 R2-D2 Gingerbread update is ready and appears to be rolling out to users right now.  A handful of readers reached out to us this morning to let us know that they received notification on their device to jump to 2.3 (blur version 4.5.602).  Doesn’t appear to be any new Star Wars goodies included, but truthfully, we are just surprised and excited to see it even receive this 137MB update.  

(Click image to see full version)

Cheers @bousquetball, @AUChief, @nickronkin, Kevin and Mickey!

DROID2 R2-D2 Receiving Gingerbread Now is a post from: Droid Life

What, you thought the R2-D2 version of the DROID2 would be left out of the Gingerbread fun?  OK, I’ll admit that I did too, but apparently we were wrong.  The 2.3 update appears to be ready (a support page usually indicates that) and could start rolling out within the next couple of weeks.  Not sure if there will be a soak test or not.  Too our R2 owners, be sure to let us know if you see anything after going to:

Settings>About phone>System updates

Cheers ___!

DROID2 R2-D2 Gingerbread Update is Ready, Yeah It Still Exists is a post from: Droid Life

We noticed that more than a few of you are having issues receiving the DROID2 Gingerbread update due to the fact that you are rooted, have removed bloatware, etc. and wanted to walk you through the flashing of an SBF file – basically the only way you can return to stock to get official 2.3.3.  We should warn you though, that SBF files wipe your device clean and are also pretty dangerous.  This is one of the few ways that you can actually brick a Motorola phone, so be careful.  

Download:  VRZ_A955_2.3.20.zip

Instructions:

*Make sure your battery is fully charged.

1.  Download and install Motorola USB drivers that fit your Windows system. [Download]
2.  Download and install RSD Lite 4.8.  [Download]
3.  Download the Droid2 SBF file from above to your PC.
4.  Unzip that file to somewhere other than your desktop.
5.  Open RSD Lite, tap the “…” button, find the 2.3.20 SBF file that you just unzipped and select it.
6.  Plug your phone into your computer and turn it off.
7.  Boot into bootloader by holding the Up Arrow and then holding Power until the screen flashes.

Should say “Battery OK – OK to Program – Transfer Mode: USB”

8. Click the start button and allow your phone to flash 2.2 (2.3.20 Blur).
9.  When your phone gets to 100% and reboots, you are all done.
10.  If your phone reboots and has a bunch of Force Closes, you need to factory reset.
11.  Boot your phone into recovery using ADB and command “adb reboot recovery.”
12.  Run a factory reset/wipe data.  Reboot your phone and accept the update.

Hope that helps those of you that are stuck.  It has been a while since we did an SBF flashing walk-through.  For additional help, feel free to check out this similar post for the DROIDX that was done almost a year ago. You will find a lot of helpful RSD Lite tips in case you do run into issues.

How to: Return DROID2 Back to Stock 2.2 to Receive Gingerbread Update is a post from: Droid Life

Actually, this method should root just about any Motorola phone running Gingerbread.  So not only will it work on the DROID3, DROID2, DROIDX2, and DROIDX, but it should also work on the DROID Pro and D2 Global when they receive an update – hopefully the DROID Bionic too.  We were inspired to write this for the simple fact that the D2 received Gingerbread last night finally, and within 5 minutes I was rooted.

Thanks to Framework43 and psouza4 for putting this together.  It couldn’t be any simpler than this method right here.  

Download:  MotorolaOneClickRoot.zip

Instructions:

1.  Make sure you have Motorola drivers installed - [Download Drivers]
2.  Download the MotorolaOneClickRoot.zip file from above and unzip it to your Windows PC.
3.  On your phone go into  Settings>Applications>Development and check the box for USB Debugging.
4.  Plug phone into your computer and select “Charge Only” mode.
5.  Navigate to MotorolaOneClickRoot folder and run MotorolaOneClickRoot.exe.
6.  Follow the instructions in the command window.
7.  Your phone will complete 3 steps, rebooting along the way.  When it finishes, you will be rooted.

Full support can be found at this thread in case you run into issues.

How to: Root the DROID2, DROIDX2, DROIDX, and DROID3 Running Gingerbread is a post from: Droid Life

The Gingerbread (Android 2.3.3) update for the DROID2 is available right now to everyone.  You can pull the update by simply going into Settings>About phone>System updates.  Get on it!  

Gallery:

Oh, and the soak test for the D2 Global also starts tonight.

Cheers S!

DROID2 Gingerbread Update Available Now is a post from: Droid Life

(Click image to enlarge)

The soak test for the DROID2 Gingerbread update was supposed to start this week – whether that has happened or not, we aren’t sure.  The good news is, that the changelog for the 2.3 update has been made available, which is almost always a good sign that the update is just around the corner for everyone, not just testers.  Unless of course they find some sort of major bug like they did with the DROID Incredible.

As you can see from the screenshot above though, the update is a big one that weighs in at 106MB and will take your Blur build to 4.5.601.  With 2.3, DROID2 users will enjoy new multi-touch keypad shortcuts, the blue Blur, home screen app dock, organizable app drawer, improved battery life, and so much more.

Page 2 changelog after the break.  

(Click image to enlarge)

Be sure to let us know if you just so happen to receive this update in the next couple of days.

DROID2 Gingerbread Update Appears Ready, Changelog Available is a post from: Droid Life

Our sources told us back in June that Gingerbread builds for the DROID2, Global and Pro had been pulled while they went back to the drawing board to fix all of the issues that were introduced to the DROIDX through 2.3.  And now that a bugfixer has arrived for the DX, Motorola is ready to start pumping out updates to the all of those devices.  The DROID2 appears to be next, even though the Global version was originally set to receive it first.

Moto started sending out soak test invites to D2 members this morning, which is usually a good sign that we are only a week or two away from it becoming available to everyone.  The test group should receive the update within a few days – the rest of the world shortly thereafter.

Cheers M, S and K!

DROID2 Gingerbread Update Soak Test Set to Begin is a post from: Droid Life

We just received confirmation that the DROID3 will launch July 7 for direct fill orders and hit stores on the 14, but wanted to also pass along this chart that shows the evolution of the slide-out DROID brand starting all the way back with the OG.  Pretty amazing to think that in under 2 years, we’ve gone from 600MHz to a 1GHz dual-core processor with HDMI mirroring, 1080p recording, a front camera for video chats, and an extra row of number keys yet managed to lose some thickness.

Too bad they couldn’t slip in a 4G LTE radio though…

Evolution of DROID: Original DROID vs. DROID2 vs. DROID2 Global vs. DROID3 is a post from: Droid Life

DROID2 owners, get ready for nightly builds of the CM7 port that JBirdVegas has been working so diligently on.  According to @cvpcs, they are bringing it all over and will merge it into the CM tree to make it an officially supported device.  It’s already showing up on GitHub under CM, so you’ll want to make sure you have ROM Manager premium for easy access to all of the nightly work that will be done.  Pretty big day for D2 owners who have been feeling a little left out after seeing the DROIDX get both official Gingerbread and CM7 long ago.

Anything to say, D2 owners?

Cheers Brian, Gordon and Christian!

DROID2 Gets Official CM7, Nightlies Should Start Tonight is a post from: Droid Life

It’s been almost 2 weeks since we first reported that the DROID2 Global‘s Gingerbread (Android 2.3) soak test was about to begin, yet here we sit today without a mass rollout or announcement from Verizon/Moto that the file is available.  Let’s also not forget that the DROID Pro was primed and ready at one point, but has seemingly disappeared from sight.  After the original DROIDX received GB all the way back in May, we were expecting each additional Moto device including the DROID2, DROIDX2, Pro, and Global to start seeing updates right away – except that isn’t happening.

What we’ve been told is that Verizon has now rejected all Gingerbread builds from Moto until they have worked out a number of bugs that came with the DROIDX’s 2.3, a list which seems to be growing by the day.  There is no telling when these will all be ready, but we’re our sources say that Motorola is reassembling teams to get this taken care of.  It could be weeks or months before we start seeing GB on other devices – we really have no idea at this point.

Stay tuned…

Rumor: Motorola Puts Gingerbread Builds on Hold for DROID2, Global, Etc. to Work Out Bugs is a post from: Droid Life

If you have been on the lookout for a multimedia dock for either your original DROID, DROID2 or D2 Global, then you may want to check out this new deal from Amazon that popped up over the weekend.  All you have to do is purchase a car dock for the device and they’ll toss in the multimedia station for free.  Actually, it looks like they are just discounting the heck out of both of them to make it look like you are getting one free, but whatever – cheap is cheap, right?

You can check out our review of the D2′s multimedia dock here.

Buy.

Cheers Jamerson!

Amazon Deal: FREE DROID2 Multimedia Station with Purchase of Car Dock is a post from: Droid Life