Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Motorola

Time for a new Droid?

mudpuppie — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 09:06:18 -0800

Android question: Despite the fact that it is now owned by the Google itself, Motorola has decided that my Android (Atrix 4G) will not be upgraded to the Ice Cream Sandwich OS (which isn't even the most recent OS). Is it time to change phones? I'm generally happy with my phone, but I feel a bit cheated that the manufacturer is withholding its full functionality from me. My only major complaints with the phone, aside from the lack of upgrades, are

its keyboard is difficult for me to use accurately
when the phone sleeps, the wireless does too, and it sometimes takes 20 seconds after waking it up to get either a wireless signal or data connection (this is a Known Thing with the Atrix)
camera quality is so-so

I'm not sure whether it's worth shelling out a couple hundred bucks (contract extension) for a new phone. I guess I'm looking to be sold one way or the other. If I were to get a new phone, how would my experience improve? And which would be the best bang for the buck, in terms of current experience, and longevity? I'm happy with the Android platform and have no intentions of going iPhone, by the way.

I'm normally not one of those people who needs to have the newest and latest toy, and I'd generally keep this one around until it wore out, but the upgrade thing is kind of pissing me off.

Can I use a French sim card with my Droid Razr?

mollywas — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 17:05:03 -0800

Can I use a French sim card in my Droid Razr? I'm moving to Paris for a year, and was planning on buying a French cell phone while there for texting and calls and bringing my Droid Razr for using wifi, reading books, and listening to music. Today I got an email from Verizon saying that Razrs now are global capable, which googling tells me means that they can work with GSM. My phone is currently running Jelly Bean and has the option to switch over to a GSM network mode- does this mean that I'll be able to buy a French sim card and have it work with my phone? If so, do I have to unlock my phone first, or can I just switch out my Verizon sim card for a French one?

I'd rather just bring my smartphone and use it there than having to carry around two different phones all day. I did try calling Verizon and Motorola's customer service lines, and neither were very helpful nor informative. Using Verizon's global roaming plan for a year is definitely not an option for me as well.

Why is my router's config page only available wirelessly, all of a sudden?

newfers — Sat, 05 May 2012 10:32:54 -0800

I just upgraded to a new modem from Time Warner, which gives me super fast download speeds! Currently, however, I don't have easy access to my router's configuration page, and can't seem to figure out why. Help! I'll try to give all the pertinent details. I had an old Surfboard modem from TimeWarner (Roadrunner) for several years , and the modem was connected to a NETGEAR WNDR3400v2 wireless router, to broadcast my signal. I also have 3 devices hard-wired to the router (A Boxee Box, my XBOX 360, and my printer)

If I needed to port forward or do anything with my router, it was as simple as accessing the old Http://192.168.1.1 page, or in the case of this particular router, I could type http://www.routerlogin.net.

When the tech guy installed my new router, he moved the plugs for the devices from the router to the modem, since my new modem apparently has a built-in firewall, etc. The new modem is a Motorola SBG6580

So, now I only have one cord connecting my new modem to my wireless router. It still broadcasts to the same wifi network I set up, and all is well in that regard. All my devices work fine, wirelessly, or wired.

HOWEVER, I no longer have any way to access my router's config page. When I type in the config page address (http://www.routerlogin.net), it brings me HERE
When I type in http://192.168.1.1, it times out. If I type http://192.168.0.1, however, I get access to my new modem's config page (I looked up the default user/pass online, and it worked).

Yesterday, as I was checking my wife's laptop to see if it connected to my network wirelessly, it worked great...and on a whim, I typed http://192.168.1.1 on her laptop, which opened up my router config page! So I was able to access the config page wirelessly through my wife's PC... I even connected my Droid Razr Maxx phone to my network, and was able to open the config page through my phone...

But I cannot seem to access this page from the actual PC that the router is connected to!!!

What could be happening? This is baffling to me, as I have a hard time working it all through my head, and figuring out where the problem lies.

Help!! This is a minor annoyance in the scheme of things, as my internet speed is fantastic, and my wifi networks work well. I should mentioned that resetting all the info on my router didn't fix the problem...however, I did subsequently have to access the router via my phone to reconfigure it and set up my passwords, etc...sure woulda been easier if I could have done it from the computer it was attached to!

hook me up, scotty!

sexyrobot — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:49:16 -0800

Easy wireless tethering without rooting/jailbreaking? I just got an HTC flyer tablet and love it, but it's wifi only and I'd like to tether the 3G data from my motorola triumph on virgin mobile. I don't want to risk bricking my phone as it seems likely there's an update in the works, and I don't want to carry around a bunch of cables...I tried one app that said wifi wouldnt work, but i could use bluetooth if i installed another thing and performed a bunch of magic tricks, at which point i got frustrated and walked away. Sooo...

1) is there an app i can download on each device that allows me to just push a button on each and be ready to go? (ie switches on and off the bluetooth and everything else necessary automagically)

2) if not, what do i need and how do i make it go? (assume i am 5. Actually, assume i am 50, as 5 yr olds these days seem to be born with this stuff in their genes)

Aaand... 3)anyone else have a flyer? What are your favorite hacks, tips, apps etc?

Motorola Netopia Firewall Settings to Solve Streaming Media Problems?

kaboomer — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:18:26 -0800

Does anyone know how to configure the firewall settings on a new-model Motorola Netopia 2247-N8 modem/router? I am having severe issues with streaming audio/video (endless buffering, permanent stopping), and my ISP's only suggestion is to adjust the firewall on my device. However, my GUI seems to be missing the buttons/links/menus necessary to even access the firewall settings. When I initially set up and configured this box, about 2 months ago, I don't think I was even offered the option to configure the firewall.

The guy on the phone from my ISP (sonic.net) has screenshots of the GUI page that concerns the firewall, but they don't quite match mine, and his opinion was that I have a newer model.

I've looked through every admin config screen I can find for this thing, but nothing mentions the firewall. Google returns a surprisingly small and ultimately useless list of results related to this box.

Any ideas? Tia.

Frequently dropping wireless

moonroof — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:30:06 -0800

My wireless connection keeps dropping every few minutes. Eee PC, Windows XP, roommate's Macbook does not have this problem. I've got an Eee PC laptop running Windows XP. We have a Motorola Docsis 3.0 and a Belkin N300 Wireless N router.

Every few minutes, the internet stops working, and we have to "repair connection" to get it back again. We have only had this problem since moving to our new house with the new modem and router setup. In our previous apartment, our modem and wireless setup worked fine. Our roommate's Macbook does not have this problem.

This is a very frustrating problem that has been going on for months. Any advice or help would be appreciated. If you need to know more tech specifics, ask and I will let you know. Thank you guys so much in advance!

All micro usb cables are not created equal?

de void — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:05:02 -0800

Why does the motorola branded micro usb cable that came with my droid phone both charge *AND* transfer data, but generic micro usb cables will only charge the phone? Recently got a Motorola Droid phone. It included a motorola-branded micro usb cable. I can use it to charge the phone and also transfer data back and forth between the phone and a computer.

I just bought some cheap, non-branded micro usb cables to sprinkle around home and work so I'd always be able to charge the phone. However, I've noticed that the non-branded micro usb cables will NOT transfer data, only charge.

Both cables appear to have the same number of metal contacts on each end.

So what gives, why does the motorola cable allow data transfer and the generics do not?

Help me find an unlocked Android smartphone with a pre paid voice/data plan

WizKid — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 08:09:39 -0800

I’m looking for suggestions on an Android phone and pre paid voice plan and a pre paid data plan for occasional use. I have looked at the past threads but they get outdated quickly. I’m looking for suggestions on an Android phone and pre paid voice plan and a pre paid data plan for occasional use. I have looked at the past threads but they get outdated quickly.

Android phone
- Something which supports android 2.3 (support for cynogenmod will be an added advantage)
- Ability to root and unlock
- supports video chat (hence a front camera in addition to the back camera)
- GPS (prefers something that can work with downloadable maps that would work without a constant data connection)
- MicroSD card (or some kind of a expandable storage) support
- Wireless support with WPA2
- Preferably less than $300

Currently I’m looking at LG G2X, Motorola Atrix and HTC Sensation. Any other phone suggestions welcome. I’ve looked at Amazon, but most of the unlocked phones are been sold by 3’rd party vendors through amazon. How wise it is to trust them? or is it better to save the money and get it on ebay? I don’t mind used as long as it’s in good condition.

1) What phone should I be looking in to?
2) What would be a good place to purchase?

Voice/Data plan
- Currently T-Mobile offers 30mins per $10 (lasts 90 days) pre paid. That would work well for me since it’s only for emergencies.
- At home and work I have wireless Internet access, so don’t need a data plan. But when I’m travelling I would like to get some kind of a pre paid data plan (by day, week or only for that month) added.

3) Is my choice on voice plan is the best? any suggestions?
4) what pre paid data options are available?

OSX wifi connectivity issues.

cmoj — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:46:50 -0800

OSX 10.6.8 on MBP doesn't seem to be playing well with Motorola SurfBoard SBG901. I've got Comcast cable and my own modem/router. The iPhone is connected to the wifi too and doesn't have the same issues as the computer. It hangs up a lot on sending requests, and tends to do so in spurts. Sometimes it's one-ff and refreshing or re-clicking a link will make it go through fine. Pinging the MBP from the router configuration doesn't show any dropped data. It's always been like this (about six months).

Any ideas?

Android upgrade time

hobgadling — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 08:11:00 -0800

Tips and tricks foe upgrading from one Android phone to another? The time has finally come, and I'm updating my original Droid to a Droid Bionic. This is the first time I've upgraded from one Android phone to another, so I'm trying to make sure that I get everything I want from my current phone to the new one. I know that both Android and Amazon markets keep track of what apps I've purchased, but is there an easy way to move application data from my current phone to the new one? Is there anything other than application data that I'm not thinking about now that I should start backing up or remember to move when the new phone comes?

Motorola Defy screen replacement?

Liquidwolf — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 07:11:45 -0800

Has anyone replaced a broken screen/digitizer on a Motorola Defy? How hard is it? The shatter proof glass Motorola has broken of course. I need to replace it, my only option seems to be sending it to Motorola to replace for $120 , or buying the part for $40 and doing it myself. There are some videos on Youtube of the procedure but none seem to be very clear about the steps involved.
Has anyone tried this ? I'm wondering if it's worth the gamble of saving the money to do it myself, or risk destroying it even more then paying Motorola in the end anyway? Thanks.

Can my laptop talk to VPNs through my Atrix phone?

mneekadon — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:44:47 -0800

Is there a way to allow vpn passthru on my tethered Motorola Atrix? I don't want to use the vpn client on the phone (which I've heard is buggy), just use the internet connection and the vpn client on my laptop. I just got this phone and I really like it, except for this. Since I live in the sticks, I was planning to use tethering in order to eliminate the need for an extra internet device, but my job requires that I connect to several different client vpns. Every data-only cellular device (currently have a usb modem connected to Cradlepoint router & a mifi) that I've used has a simple checkbox option in the configuration that just says "allow vpn pass through," but the Atrix mobile hotspot settings don't have it.

I'm not terribly well-versed in networking or mucking around in the guts of Android, but I gather it's got a Linux kernel so it's just a port that needs to be opened somewhere, right?

I really don't want to have to return it, but if I have to, it's better to know now so I don't get used to it.

Please help me save the data from my Droid

fake — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:31:09 -0800

I dropped my Motorola Droid/A855 in a river. Droid may boot after drying out. How do I get all the data off the internal memory? Difficulty: Droid no longer has service. Not sure if the thing will boot, but if it does, I want to get the data off it ASAP. Is there a utility or method to copy the internal memory onto the SD card?

My phone is not rooted, and does not have 3G service anymore.

Although I've been using Android and this phone for over a year, please consider me a complete n00b when it comes to using backup apps on Android.

Why can't we all just get along?

stellaluna — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:12:05 -0800

He's iPhone, I'm Droid. He always receives my picture messages. I only receive his about 70% of the time. Why? It's the strangest thing. I seem to have no problems receiving picture messages from other friends, most of whom also have Android phones. However, I receive only about 70% of the picture messages he sends me. We've scrolled through our text histories together, side by side, and sure enough, a photo will show up in his stream as successfully sent, but in mine? Radio silence. He has no problem receiving pictures I send him.

The extent of my knowledge about my own phone is that it's black and has a touchscreen. No, I know it's a Motorola Milestone XT720, and it automatically checks for updates every month. I think his is an iPhone 4.

This is obviously not the end of the world, but it's annoying and leads to miscommunication. Has anyone else experienced this, and what worked for you? I'm loathe to call our (different) phone companies and waste three hours of my time, and feel that there's probably something I'm just missing. I searched past questions to no avail, and online searching just led me to a lot of noise and technical specifications. Any help is most appreciated--especially that expressed using small words :)

Motorola Droid Screen Won't Turn on

NotSoSiniSter — Sat, 14 May 2011 20:30:47 -0800

Motorola Droid took a fall, now the screen won't turn on, How do I fix it myself? My sister dropped her Motorola Droid (the original one) with 3 weeks left on her contract, she waited in agony for the day she could upgrade. Now that she has her shiny white iphone 4 (ugh), she handed me the thing and said she didn't care about it any more.

I followed some online guides on how to take it apart, its now in pieces on my desk. I was hoping resetting some wires would fix the issue, but that was not the case. :/

I know the phone still works, I turned it on while it was still in pieces and it buzzed. When it was turned on, I could touch the screen and get it to vibrate too.

So, what do you recommend? Replacement parts are not dirt cheap for the Droid to just buy and try something. So I really wan't to try and zero in on the issue.

Thanks! :D

Best way to root a Motorola Droid and use it as a mobile hotspot?

Rhaomi — Mon, 09 May 2011 16:47:15 -0800

Is it possible to turn an original Motorola Droid into a mobile wireless hotspot by rooting it? If so, what's the easiest way to do that? I've got a first-generation Motorola Droid smartphone on the Verizon network. It's currently unrooted, running Android 2.2.2, build number FRG83G.

In the past, I've had success using my phone's data connection on other devices. By downloading the app PDANet to my phone and installing the relevant software on my laptop, for instance, I can browse the web on my laptop through my phone's data connection. And while Verizon has refused to enable official tethering support on older phones due to alleged technical issues (I'm guessing to encourage upgrading to newer models), they apparently either doesn't notice or doesn't care about this unofficial tethering, so I haven't run into any problems there yet.

This setup isn't very flexible, however. You need to download software on both devices, and you need to use a USB connection. What I'd really like to do is convert my phone into a mobile hotspot, so any WiFi device (like a laptop without PDANet or a WiFi-only iPad) can get online through it wirelessly.

I think this is do-able by rooting the phone and using an app like Barnacle, but I'm not at all sure. With the constant over-the-air system updates (and similarly-named successors like the Droid 2), it's hard to find up-to-date information on the best way to root the current version of the original Droid. For instance, there used to be a Marketplace app that would do it all automatically, but it was removed months ago. And some of the latest OS revisions have made earlier rooting methods obsolete.

So, my question is: Is it technically possible to use a rooted Motorola Droid to create a local WiFi network? And if so, what's the most current, most hassle-free way to do this on Android 2.2.2 build FRG83G?

Bad internet connectivity=modem bad?

biwa-shu — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 01:37:22 -0800

Could poor internet connectivity be due to 'chips' in my modem? Comcast 12 mbps service, Motorola Surfboard 5120, Linksys nice router with options set by user.

Internet is great, nice and fast even for bittorrent use, but every time we use Netflix it craps out and stops. Resetting the modem and restarting the computer will work; sometimes one of these works and sometimes I need to do both.

Tonight I spoke with a nice guy who seemed to be working from Mexico. He said that my modem was working at 60% because of 'chips' in the modem. I've never seen a computer work at 60%. They work, or they don't. It's not like a bathtub drain or a failing car engine, especially when the problem occurs for months at a time. I suspect Comcast.

Can anyone confirm or deny? tia.

Droid dead screen help?

rmless — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 08:03:43 -0800

My Motorola Droid's screen is dead. The touch, power, sound still work but I can't see anything. Where in NYC can I go to have this fixed? -I've already been to the Verizon store where they told me that since I am out of warranty by two weeks, my only option is to buy a brand new one at full cost. They don't fix them there.
-I've tried removing the battery, charging overnight, etc. It doesn't seem to be coming back. I didn't drop it so I am confused why this is happening.
-I've googled and come up with these: 1, 2, 3, one of which suggests that Motorola will fix it for $75. How would I go about doing this?
-Is there a place in NY that is good for repairs? I tried calling Droid Repair but the number just kept ringing. I see that PortaTronics might be an option- does anyone have experience with them?
-Are there other places I should try that my googling hasn't brought up yet?
-How much should I expect to pay for repair?

Android phone information

devnull — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 09:49:31 -0800

Where can I read about Android phones? I have a Motorola Milestone/Droid. I am frustrated by Motorola dragging their feet on the Android 2.2 update which is now due at the end of this year. I'm also experiencing random reboots/sim restarts and I'd like to see if an upgrade helps.

I'm looking for a website where I can:
* Compare different Android phones
* View which phone has which version of Android

I'd also like a single place to look at Android phones and see which phones have just come out or are due to come out. All of the blogs I have sound so far have parts of all of this but are not up-to-date or have too much noise and other content (tablets, etc).

Are there any phones which can be installed with Android directly from the code that Google provides? Since this phone holds some of my most personal information I'd like to avoid the r00tyourphone scene.

Thanks.

How can I exorcize the poltergeist living in my phone?

synecdoche — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 08:06:04 -0800

I have a Motorola KRZR phone. It keeps taking pictures of my pocket and spontaneously starting the MP3 player. How can I fix this? I've had a Motorola KRZR phone for a while now and for the most part it works fine for me. However, it has two tics that drive me nuts. First, it takes pictures in my pocket. I think it bumps up against things in my pocket and then takes a photograph. Second, the MP3 player will frequently start while it is in my pocket. I never use the MP3 player capability of the phone and so it just plays the first sound that's stored in the memory. This is also annoying. (Not that it playing any other sound would be less annoying.)

Is there any way to stop this from happening, preferably via some setting on the phone?

Can this Motorola remote control an LG tv?

nevercalm — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:41:52 -0800

How do I program the remote for a Motorola DCT700 cable box to power on and control the volume for a new LG 32" tv? This is my first experience with an HD tv, I've always had CRTs. It always seemed with the older sets that the remote just worked. With this one? Not so much. The tv is for my 87 father-in-law who is no master of technology, and I'd hate to have him fumble with multiple remotes.

Motorola Milestone Firmware Updates

devnull — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 04:02:02 -0800

I have a Motorola Milestone. My service provider provides OTA updates several months after Google release them, about a month after Motorola releases them. This works well, but I'd like to upgrade sooner.. There are a few things I don't understand.

I can download a software (firmware) upgrade directly from the Motorola website. The update works over USB, at least initially.

OTA updates versus updates from the Motorola website
- If I update my firmware using the Motorola website will I still get OTA updates? Who from?
- Can I switch back to my provider for OTA updates if I want to?
- Will an update from the website keep my settings and files like an OTA update, or will it perform a factory reset too?

Baseband version
- How does the baseband version come into all of this?
- Could it be that my phone will stop working because I don't receive baseband updates?

Thanks.

Can I call a spoken/transcribed phone number in google voice voicemail?

The Dutchman — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:13:01 -0800

I use google voicemail on my Motorola Droid. When someone leaves a message that includes a phone number that is different from the number they're calling from, google does a good job of transcribing it. As far as I can tell, however, there's no simple way of calling back that spoken, transcribed number. Instead, I have to memorize it, switch over to phone and key it in (and forget a few digits and switch back and forth and crash the car etc). I feel like maybe I'm just missing something simple, but I'm coming up empty searching for an answer. Does anyone know if it's possible?

Safely delivered to Alderaan.

Sophie1 — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:06:16 -0800

Droid filter: I'm getting the new Droid X the morning it comes out but I've been a loyal Palm customer lo these many years. Help me Obi-Wan... I bought my first Palm Pilot in 1997 and have had the III, IIIxe, m505, Treo 650 and now the Centro but Palm is in its death throes and I am giving up.

So, having said that, I am switching over to the Motorola Droid X and I need to know a few things that I can't seem to find on the internets.

1) is there any way to transfer my music from iTunes to a Droid compatible format? Seems silly to have two bricks.

2) Where the Droid Apps at? I've found dozens of sites reviewing apps but I'm not finding any good ones. Take me to your leader.

3) As for all of my data; obviously I've been transferring all of my calendar and contact data (not to mention notes/memos/etc.) from Palm to Palm for almost a decade and a half. It's been kinda fun for me to have where I was on my 27th birthday at my fingertips. I'm assuming there's no way of transferring all of that into the Droid without manually typing it all into Google calendar. Am I wrong?

4) Is there anything else that you know about the Droid/Android OS that I should know (other than the FroYo upgrade)? I'm a geek but I don't pretend to be up on every single development.

Thanks in advance!

Anyone know a way to sync Outlook 2007 Tasks with the Droid?

zooropa — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 09:47:15 -0800

Is there a way to sync Outlook 2007 Tasks with my Motorola Droid? I am able to sync my Calendar, Mail and Contacts with no trouble. Tasks, on the other hand, seem to be a foreign concept to the Droid.

Anyone find a solution for this?