Verizon is currently hosting a “Red Hot Deal Days” event from today through May 12 (this Sunday), so if you were in the market for a new Big Red smartphone, now wouldn’t be a bad time to look. Well, assuming you aren’t interested in the Galaxy S4, since that won’t be out until May 30. But if the GS4 isn’t on your radar, you’ll find deals on the RAZR MAXX HD and regular RAZR HD, RAZR M, Incredible 4G LTE, Blackberry Z10 (hah!), and more.

The DROID line is headlining this show, with the RAZR MAXX HD at $149 on contract, RAZR HD at $49, and RAZR M and Incredible 4G LTE for free. The Samsung Galaxy S3 (16GB model) is also there for $99 on new 2-year contract.

Keep in mind that Amazon will beat almost all of these prices, starting with the RAZR MAXX HD at $99 on contract.

Via:  Verizon

Cheers Adam!

Verizon Hosting “Red Hot Deal Days” – RAZR MAXX HD for $150, RAZR M for Free, Galaxy S3 for $99 and More is a post from: Droid Life

Yesterday, Dan Rosenberg published the first Motorola bootloader unlock method in history. It was an epic moment for the rooting and development community on Android, as no one had been able to accomplish anything close to this for what seems like an eternity on a Motorola device since they started locking them down back in 2010. There was one problem though, the bootloader unlock worked on devices like the DROID RAZR HD, RAZR M, and Atrix HD as long as you were rooted before you updated to Android 4.1.2. For many of you, especially those with a RAZR HD or RAZR MAXX HD who received the most recent 4.1.2 update, you were out of luck. 

Well, Dan has returned again with another present – root for Android 4.1.2 and more. This method not only works on the RAZR HD, RAZR M and Atrix HD, but it should work on a variety of Motorola devices (until Moto patches it). So for those of you who were unable to unlock bootloaders yesterday, you now have the option to.

Keep in mind there is all sorts of risk involved, namely in relation to warranties. If you unlock the bootloader of your phone, your warranty is gone.

The instructions were posted up at DroidRzr.com, but we have included them below for you as well.

Instructions:

1. Download this file to your PC.
2. Extract the entire contents of the zip file.
3. If you are using Windows, ensure you have installed the latest Motorola USB drivers available for your phone.
4. Ensure USB Debugging mode is enabled on your device.
5. If you are using Windows, navigate to the extracted directory and execute “run.bat”. If you are using Linux or OS X, navigate to the extracted directory in a terminal and execute “./run.sh”.

On a related note, Dan has announced that he is done trying to find exploits in Motorola devices as they have become increasingly difficult and time consuming. He urges you to consider your future purchasing decisions based upon the dev-friendliness of phones rather than waiting or expecting methods like his to be released by the community.

Via:  DroidRzr

Root Method Released for DROID RAZR HD Running Android 4.1.2, Other Devices Too is a post from: Droid Life

Yesterday, news broke that Dan Rosenberg (@djrbliss) had unlocked bootloaders for a handful of Motorola devices including the DROID RAZR HD, RAZR MAXX HD, RAZR M, and Atrix HD, all of which are powered by Qualcomm chipsets. Today, he has released that same unlock tool so that you can free your phone from Motorola and Verizon’s clutches.

We should point out that you cannot re-lock the phone after using this tool (at this point), and it does indeed void your warranty. Also, Motorola can more than likely patch this in a software update, so you may want to weigh your options here before long. It’s risky from a warranty and replacement standpoint to say the least. As always, proceed with caution.

You definitely need to be rooted ahead of time, prior to using this tool. For those with a RAZR HD running Android 4.1.2 (the newest update), root has not been gained yet so you are out of luck for now. I can’t imagine that this won’t ever be rooted, but again as of today, there is no root method.

Update:  Dan released a root method for Android 4.1.2 that can be found here.

As we mentioned yesterday, this method does not work on OMAP powered phones, including the original RAZR, Bionic, and DROID 4. Do not attempt to use this on any of those phones.

Below, we have the basic instructions and notes from Dan. 

A couple of warnings:

1. You understand that using this tool will permanently, irreversibly void your device’s warranty.
2. You understand that it may not be possible to “relock” your device’s bootloader after unlocking using this tool. A side effect of this is that if you lose your device and you are not using disk encryption, a malicious party who acquires your phone may be able to extract all personal data from the device regardless of any lock screen.
3. You agree that I am in no way responsible for any damage to your device as a result of using this tool.

Instructions:

*It requires that your device has been rooted and that the “su” binary has been properly installed.

1. Download this file to your computer.
2. Extract the entire contents of the zip file.
3. If you are using Windows, ensure you have installed the latest Motorola USB drivers available for your phone.
4. Ensure your device has been rooted and you have a working installation of “su”.
5. Ensure USB Debugging mode is enabled on your device.
6. If you are using Windows, navigate to the extracted directory and execute “run.bat”. If you are using Linux or OS X, navigate to the extracted directory in a terminal and execute “./run.sh”.

Note – If you are interested in reading exactly how Dan managed to find this exploit (all of the technical madness), he has written up an entire post about it over at Azimuth Security.

Via:  Vulnfactory

Motorola RAZR HD, RAZR M, and Atrix HD Bootloader Unlock Released (Updated) is a post from: Droid Life

An update for the Motorola DROID RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD is now available to users as build 9.16.6. The update was approved by Verizon earlier at the end of last week, and after becoming available to a select group of testers for a couple of days, is ready for the rest of you to download and install.

Once updated, you should notice improved audio quality, connectivity all around, and through the camera.

To check to see if the update is ready to be pulled, head into Settings>About phone>System updates.

If you do not feel like waiting, you can manually update using our instructions here.

Cheers BOGY and Angel!

DROID RAZR HD and MAXX HD Update to Build 9.16.6 is Rolling Out Now is a post from: Droid Life

Click here to view the embedded video.

We haven’t posted a DROID commercial in a while, but a new clip for the RAZR MAXX HD surfaced this morning looking more like the original DROID campaign than anything we have seen in some time, and thought we’d share. Plus, anything is better than the desert bedroom explosion spot, right? Not sure this fully redeems the DROID brand after that ridiculousness, but it can’t hurt.

In this spot, instead of selling the new powerful Google Voice Search, Verizon has decided to brand it with their own term called, “DROID recognition.” Yes, that’s a silly word play on the phrase “voice recognition.” Come on, we should be able to do better than this.

New DROID RAZR MAXX HD Commercial Touts “DROID Recognition” is a post from: Droid Life

At the end of last week, Verizon approved a new update of build 9.16.6 for the DROID RAZR HD. That update is slowly trickling out to users now, but if you’d like to manually upgrade this minute, you can do so with the update file below. In order to update with these instructions, you’ll need to be 100% stock. I’d bet that you can keep root by using Voodoo Rootkeeper, however, I was not able to test it.

The update improves connectivity, camera, video streaming, and more. The file is roughly 96MB in size, jumps your phone to Android 4.1.2 and works on the RAZR MAXX HD as well. 

Instructions:

*You have to be running the official Jelly Bean (Android 4.1.1) update of build 9.1.41. You also have to be completely stock.

*Hearing from Matt Groff that you cannot downgrade once you update to this new build.

1.  Download the update file here:  Download Link [mirror]
2.  Drop that file on your SD card, not internal storage.
3.  Turn phone off, and reboot into recovery.

*Hold both Volume Up and Down along with Power until you see the boot menu. Use Volume Down to hover over “Recovery.” Press Volume Up to select it.

*Once you see the Android and Exclamation point, press both Volume Up and Down at the same time.

4.  Select “apply update from external storage.”

*Use Volume keys to highlight, Power button to select.

5.  Then select the file you downloaded from above. It should already be on your SD card.
6.  Watch as the update applies.
7.  Once finished, choose the “reboot” option and enjoy!

Download: Motorola DROID RAZR HD Update 9.16.6, Android 4.1.2 is a post from: Droid Life

The Motorola DROID RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD are no longer new by smartphone standards, having been released back in October of last year. So typically when a phone has been on the market for five or six months, we start to see the price drop across the web. 

In what appears to be a recent discount, Verizon has slashed their prices of the RAZR HD line. You’ll find the regular RAZR HD for $99 followed by the RAZR MAXX HD for $199 on new 2-year contract. As many of you know, the only different between the two in terms of specs are the amount of internal storage and the battery size. The MAXX HD has 32GB of internal (16GB in the regular HD) and a 3300mAh battery (2530mAh in the regular HD).

But if $199 and $99 are cheap enough, you may want to look into Amazon, which is listing the RAZR MAXX HD at $99 and the RAZR HD for a penny.

And no, I don’t necessarily believe this is a sign that the X Phone is just around the corner.

Via:  Verizon

Verizon Drops DROID RAZR MAXX HD to $199, RAZR HD to $99 on Contract is a post from: Droid Life

Earlier today, we talked about Verizon slashing the price of the RAZR MAXX HD to $249, also noting that Amazon had it at $149 for upgrades. But how does $99 on-contract sound from Costco? Better deal, right? Oh, they are also tossing in a car mount and case as some sort of “Accessory Kit” mail-in offer.

You would technically need to be a Costco member in order to grab this deal. Either that, or you can con a friend into letting you use their card or taking you with them on their next trip.

We’re told the deal may only last until the 12th, which is tomorrow.

Cheers L!

Costco has the RAZR MAXX HD Plus Car Dock and Case for $99 is a post from: Droid Life

Over the weekend, Verizon dropped the price of the Motorola DROID RAZR HD and MAXX HD by $50. Rather than having to fork out the standard $299 for the MAXX HD, you can now step into one for $249. If ultimate battery performance isn’t your cup of tea, then think about the regular RAZR HD which is now listed at $149.

But don’t forget that Amazon is selling the RAZR MAXX HD for $149 with an upgrade or $99 on a new contract. Options are good, my friends.

Our review of the RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD can be found here.

Via:  Verizon | Amazon

DROID RAZR MAXX HD Drops to $249 at Verizon is a post from: Droid Life

This morning, Amazon dropped the price of the DROID RAZR MAXX HD to $99 on-contract for new lines and new accounts. If you want to upgrade to it, it’ll run you $149. Either way, it’s still a hell of a lot cheaper than the $299 on-contract price that Verizon is still listing it at.

We reviewed the RAZR MAXX HD back in October and are clearly fans of it. While its specs and performance may not match up to the Note 2 or DROID DNA, it crushes them all in battery life. In fact, we took MAXX HDs to Vegas with us to cover CES because at most conferences, you are almost always needing to plug in your phone or find the nearest charger multiple times a day. With the MAXX HD, I never once ran into a battery issue even after a half-dozen live blogs, a bunch of photos taken, and regular usage. It’s a beast, that’s for sure.

Amazon Link

DROID RAZR MAXX HD Drops to $99 at Amazon for New Lines is a post from: Droid Life

If for some reason our reviews weren’t enough to help you make your next smartphone or tablet purchase, feel free to check out this new video series that Verizon uploaded this morning. Each video runs about 2-minutes long and covers all of the top features of their most popular smartphones. You’ll see highlights for the Note 2, RAZR HD, DNA, Galaxy S3, etc. 

DROID DNA (review)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Galaxy Note 2 (review)

Click here to view the embedded video.

DROID RAZR HD (review)

Click here to view the embedded video.

DROID RAZR MAXX HD

Click here to view the embedded video.

Galaxy S3 (review)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0)

Click here to view the embedded video.

DROID Incredible 4G LTE (review)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Verizon Highlights Entire Device Lineup in New Video Series – RAZR HD, DNA, and More is a post from: Droid Life

In 2012, we saw the Android smartphone world reach heights that I don’t imagine many predicted. On a spec front, 2012 was the year of quad-core processors, 2GB of RAM, HD displays, longer battery lives, and incredibly thin bodies. It seems like just yesterday that we were asking DL readers if they had a dual-core or single-core phone, yet here we are, with dual-core phones already becoming a thing of the past.

On a manufacturer front, 2012 was the year that Samsung proved that it really was the only big fish in a bowl full of minnows. We saw Motorola kick off its life as a Google-owned company, HTC struggle to make money even while releasing amazing phones, and LG take its turn as the face of the Nexus phone program.

In this post, I thought we’d talk a bit about all of that by listing out my top 10 phones of the year. 

1.  Samsung Galaxy S3 (review)

No surprise here, but the Galaxy S3 tops my list of phones for 2012. It was hyped as much as the next iPhone, yet it still delivered. It launched with an impressive suite of sharing capabilities that no other phone had seen, it used a big beautiful display with a body that was slim enough to feel great in hand, and with 2GB of RAM, it almost never stuttered or slowed down. But most importantly, Samsung showed the world that it has power in the mobile world by releasing one version of the phone across all carriers. As expected, though, people were quick to downplay it at launch, but over its first couple of months in stores, Samsung sold millions upon millions of units, fully cementing themselves as number 1 in the world.

2.  LG Nexus 4 (review)

The Nexus 4, Google’s latest flagship device, has seen its share of ups and downs over its short life. It was hyped up for a couple of months in a variety of leaks, was never officially unveiled thanks to a hurricane, hated on because of its lack of LTE, and criticized mightily for its glass back. But you know what, to me, it’s still the 2nd best phone you can buy. It comes in at an unbelievably reasonable price of $299 (or $349), is the ultimate stock Android device since it’s the newest Nexus, carries future-proof specs, and isn’t tied to a carrier. It may be impossible to purchase, but that may also be a sign that Google has finally figured out a winning device formula.

3.  Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (review)

When Samsung originally launched the Galaxy Note, the world was introduced to a confusing product plus one of the worst mashup words ever created in “phablet.” Was the phone a tablet or a phone or the “best of both worlds”? Surprisingly enough, that question doesn’t matter as it was a massive success. So Samsung did what any smart company would do with a successful product – launch a follow-up. The Galaxy Note 2, like the Galaxy S3, has already shipped by the millions, and may have even been the most anticipated device to launch on Verizon in some time (even over the Galaxy S3 and DROID brand). It’s too big for my liking, but you can’t argue with the impressive set of features that Samsung has built in. Also like the Galaxy S3, it blew past the competition with innovative features like multi-window, advanced S Pen technology, and camera sharing capabilities.

4.  HTC DROID DNA (review)

Verizon passed up on the HTC One X in early 2012, something we weren’t sure we could forgive them for. Thankfully, they appear to have fully redeemed themselves by launching the world’s first 1080p smartphone, the DROID DNA. The device itself is beautiful to look at, is much smaller in stature than the Note 2, is surprisingly light and thin, has the best display in the business, actually lasts throughout a full day even with a semi-small battery, and carries top-of-the-line specs that few other phones contain. At $199 on contract, it’s also somewhat of a steal. Easily the best phone HTC has created since the next phone on our list, the One X.

5.  HTC ONE X (review)

When HTC announced the One Series, which included the One X, the world was blown away. This was the new HTC, or at least one that was trying to make a comeback after a terrible end to 2011. The phone sported the best display in the business at the time, a best-in-class processor, the prettiest phone design we had ever seen, felt great in hand, was able to withstand a day’s beating on a single charge, and really set the standard for smartphones in 2012.

6.  Motorola DROID RAZR M (review)

As we approached Motorola’s big Fall event, rumors started popping up over a mysterious device with the world’s first “edge-to-edge” display. While others were willing to bet the world on it being some secret device, we knew long beforehand that it was simply the DROID RAZR M, a mid-range device headed to Verizon. I don’t want that to sound like I’m discounting the phone, as it was easily my favorite from Motorola in 2012. Since the display was so close to being edge-to-edge, it has a small footprint, yet still packs mostly top-tier specs (other than the display). It has amazing battery life and feels tiny in hand compared to the rest of the smartphones being introduced these days. But that’s not a bad thing, as the display was still big enough to allow you to consume content without sacrificing a thing. We certainly hope that “edge-to-edge” is the future.

7.  Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX HD (review)

This may surprise some readers, seeing the RAZR MAXX HD below the RAZR M, but this phone offered little in terms of “new.” It still rocks a massive battery that can get you through days before needing a charge, plus it comes equipped with an HD display, but it was released late enough that it was almost out of date by the time it went on sale. I’m a big fan of Motorola’s decision to slim down the skin they put on top of Android, and will never complain about their focus on battery life, but the RAZR HD needed to blow it out of the park, something it didn’t quite do.

8.  LG Optimus G (review)

The LG Optimus G was the inspiration for the Nexus 4. It sports the same processor, RAM, display, and Crystal Reflection back design, so how could it not be on this list? While glass backsides will never appeal to me, this phone was a beast the minute it came out. In fact, with its quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, it was the highest spec’d phone on the planet for a at least a month. LG also took some time to create a software suite, much like Samsung had done, to try and help the phone stand out. They definitely succeeded. It’s too bad it was limited to AT&T and Sprint, as this phone could have potentially sold well on other carriers.

9.  Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX (review)

Boasting a massive 3300mAh battery while maintaining a slim profile, the original RAZR MAXX set the standard for battery life in 2012. Well, it set it and then watched as no one could match it until Motorola released the HD version of it 10 months later. We aren’t sure what kind of voodoo Motorola has working in their battery department, but we love it. They are the only phone company on the planet that has been able to make ultra-slim phones with batteries you used to only see sold separately as “extended.” The RAZR MAXX itself wasn’t all that impressive outside of its battery, but in my book, this battery was good enough to make the list.

10.  HTC One S (review)

Another original One Series phone, the HTC One S, finishes off my list of top 10 phones. With its ultra-thin body, fancy micro arc oxidation coating, and mostly top-tier set of specs, I was a big fan of this phone. Sure, it wasn’t as good as the One X, but it wasn’t supposed to be. HTC released it as an affordable mid-range phone, with a sleek profile, fun color scheme, and one of the best cameras in the business.

So there you have it, my top 10 phones of the year. I’m assuming there will be some disagreement, so let me hear it in the comments.

Top 10 Android Phones of 2012 is a post from: Droid Life

Verizon launched a new holiday promotion this morning, one that includes $50 discounts on two of their more popular phones, the RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD. Normally priced at $199 and $299 on contract, the RAZR HD can be had for $149 with the RAZR MAXX HD dropping in at $249 (on new 2-year contract). If you haven’t already, be sure to check out our review of these phones.

We’re also seeing discounts to the Incredible 4G LTE ($49) and DROID RAZR M ($49).

Via:  Verizon

Cheers Matt!

Verizon Kicks Off Holiday Sale: DROID RAZR MAXX HD for $249, Regular RAZR HD at $149 is a post from: Droid Life

Back in August, we talked about a root checker that Motorola had built into devices like the RAZR and RAZR MAXX. To see if a device was rooted or had been rooted in the past, all you had to do was boot into recovery and look towards the middle of the screen for “qe” in yellow lettering followed by a 0/0, 0/1, or 1/1. If a “1″ was included at all, that meant your device had either been rooted before or was currently rooted. It was a sneaky move, to say the least. 

In the RAZR HD, and presumably other devices, a root checker has been built into Program Settings as well. From the dialer, if you type in ##PROGRAM and then a password of “000000″ (six zeros), you’ll notice a menu option at the very bottom that reads “Device rooting.” Sure enough, should you enter said menu, it will tell you if you are rooted or not.

The reader that pointed this out, also says that it will continue to say rooted even if you unroot, sort of like the 0/1 indicator we saw on the original RAZR. He did mention that if you flash all the way back to Ice Cream Sandwich, unroot, and then update your phone legitimately, that the “Rooted” status would go away.

Just thought you should know.

Cheers Nathaniel!

Tip: Check the “Rooted” Status on Your DROID RAZR HD is a post from: Droid Life

Earlier this week, we wrote that Verizon was starting to push out the Jelly Bean update to owners of the RAZR HD and MAXX HD, but it was in small batches. This morning, it seems to be a wider push and we have a lot of readers writing in to say they are getting the update. With the update, owners will be able to take advantage of Google Now, enhanced notifications, Project Butter, and an improved keyboard. Beyond that, Verizon and Motorola also improved voice and data connectivity, the user experience in the calendar, and Back Up Assistant. They removed Verizon Video and Color application, but added in the suite of Amazon apps.

Go grab it!

The update is 276MB in size.

Cheers Erick, and Lee!

Verizon Pushes Jelly Bean Update to All RAZR HD and MAXX HD Devices This Morning is a post from: Droid Life