razr

Fitbit adds Zip to its workout routine

Tuesday's CNET Update has some Zip:

If you geek out over workout and personal fitness technology, then check out the review of the new Fitbit Zip. For $60, this fitness tracker is an advanced pedometer that records calories are burned over time. Progress is displayed on the app, and data is synced to an iPhone via Bluetooth. (Bluetooth syncing not yet available for Android.) Users also earn fitness badges and share progress with friends. The higher-end model is called the Fitbit One, which in addition tracks sleep and has a silent vibrating alarm. That comes out in early October … Read more

Motorola unveils its first Intel-powered smartphone: Razr i

After years of talk, Intel is finally making some headway into the smartphone business.

Motorola Mobility is the latest company to unveil a smartphone, the Razr i, to be powered by an Intel processor. The Razr i is essentially the recently announced Droid Razr M for Verizon Wireless, only with the different processor. It will be available in Europe and Latin America.

The Razr i is one of a handful of smartphones now running on an Intel Atom processor, further evidence that Intel is establishing a beachhead -- albeit a small one -- in the mobile arena. Intel has shrugged … Read more

When the biggest Moto stars aren't its new Razr phones

commentary At Motorola's "On Display" press event in New York City last week, most eyes centered on the company's new Razr phones. Yet, there were also a couple of tech celebrities in the audience, both of whom drew their own share of attention.

A man One of those luminaries was a person, a former Motorola vice president and division manager named Martin Cooper. Seated in the front row, but not banging away on a laptop, you knew he wasn't part of the journalist and blogger throng. Instead, with his dark suit, conservative red tie, and … Read more

Moto muddies the Razr HD waters

commentary I'm not sure I understand what Motorola was doing last week when it announced three Droid Razr models for the remainder of 2012.

On one hand, I get that an iconic company like Moto wants to show that it's still in the game. And I understand the benefit in giving customers choices. In this case, however, the number of choices is simply too much. While I see the value in both the Droid Razr M and the Droid Razr Maxx HD, I don't see a need for the Droid Razr HD.

Looking at the official specifications … Read more

The ho-hum era of smartphones has begun

commentary Smartphones are great. But it's time to lower your expectations, because the smartphone industry has moved from an era of revolutionary improvement to a much more bland era of incremental refinement.

Progress will continue, to be sure: screens will get better, networks will get faster, prices will come down. But these days, it's just a lot harder to come up with a smartphone that makes last year's model look like an outdated relic.

This week, we'll see what Apple has in store for the next-gen iPhone. I have no doubt it will be technically impressive … Read more

Verizon: Motorola Razr brand sticking with just us for a while

Are you not a Verizon Wireless customer but still want the Razr smartphone? Don't hold your breath.

Motorola Mobility won't be taking the Razr to another U.S. carrier any time soon, executives from Motorola and Verizon told CNET.

"It's a relationship that works really well," said Marni Walden, chief operating officer of Verizon Wireless.

Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside:"We have no plans to bring the Razr elsewhere."

The combination of the two brands has resulted in a blockbuster product in the original Droid Razr, and the juiced-up follow-on Droid Razr Maxx. On … Read more

Amazon lights a new Fire under iPad

Thursday's tech news roundup has a glow about it:

Amazon unveiled several new Kindles on Thursday. Here's the quick breakdown with links to the full first-take reviews:

• The new Kindle Fire HD comes in three flavors. There's a 7-inch model with 16 GB of memory for $199, and it ships Sept. 14. Coming out late November is a larger 8.9-inch model with 16GB of memory, selling for $299. If you want double that memory and the option for 4G LTE wireless, that'll cost $499 -- the same as a new iPad. • That 4G LTE wireless … Read more

Motorola gets new direction, lease on life under Google

Say hello to the new Motorola Mobility.

Motorola, which struggled as a standalone company competing in the cutthroat smartphone business, gets a second chance under Google, a parent with loads of cash and even more patience.

The changes start with Dennis Woodside, an ex-Googler who now runs Motorola. Under Woodside, the company reshuffled and brought on new key managers, shifted resources away from its basic phone business, and focused more on the smartphones it believes resonates with power users.

Today's announcement of not one, but three different Droid Razr smartphones -- Motorola's first as a part of Google … Read more

Motorola announces sleek Droid Razr M from Verizon for $99

Motorola just confirmed plans for its Droid Razr M Android mobile phone. Available from Verizon for $99 with a two-year contract starting September 13, the Razr M will feature a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen running nearly the entire width and length of the device for stunning visuals.

Check out our first take of the Droid Razr M

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD has both sharp screen and big battery

If you need a smartphone with a huge, lovely screen plus a big battery to match, Motorola says it has your number.

Its new Droid Razr Maxx HD offers a vast 4.7-inch HD Super AMOLED display (1,280x720 pixels), and the same 3,300 mAh battery pack that propelled the first Droid Razr Maxx to new heights in longevity. … Read more