Phandroid
Leak: Motorola DROID Turbo training materials talk specs, build quality and more
Earlier this morning we saw Verizon begin to tease the Motorola DROID Turbo for an October 28th unveiling. They weren’t too talkative about what to expect, of course, but we’ve got more information to deliver thanks to a timely leak. A source of Phandroid’s passed along some early training materials for sales managers. The materials push their employees to sell the DROID Turbo on a few different areas:
- Its 21 megapixel camera and Quad HD (2560 x 1440) display
- Its 2.7GHz quad-core processor and software like Moto Voice, Intelligent Imaging and Zap Zone (for beaming photos to friends, to nearby TVs or quickly capturing screenshots using voice and sending it off to whoever you want)
- 48 hours of battery life (thanks to a 3,900mAh battery) and the ability to get 8 hours of life with 15 minutes of charging through the Motorola Turbo Charger
- Metalized Glass Fiber build materials coated with Kevlar fiber, water resistant repellent coating, Corning Gorilla Glass
We also finally learn that the device will come in 32GB of internal storage, though the documents don’t suggest whether there will be any other storage options to be had. We can also confirm that the DROID Turbo will be available in both Metallic Red and Metallic Black.
Unfortunately the training materials didn’t reveal much else, but between the leaks we’ve seen in the past few weeks and today’s teaser we’d say we have a pretty good idea of what to expect before its coming out party later this month. Stay tuned!
What we know about the Nexus 6
Android fans are eagerly anticipating the launch of the Nexus 6, Google’s latest Nexus smartphone, which is expected to be officially announced tomorrow, October 15th. As the excitement reaches a fever pitch for this highly-anticipated handset, let’s step back and take a look at what we know about the device so far and what we expect to come as part of Google’s official announcement.
As the name suggests (following a pattern set by previous devices), the Nexus 6 will feature a display with a footprint bordering on 6 inches, making this the first “phablet” in the lineup. While its predecessors included devices from HTC, Samsung, and LG, the Nexus 6 will be the first Google flagship manufactured by Motorola.
Nexus 6 Specs
The Nexus 6 might end up as the most powerful Nexus device to date — should the rumored specs pan out. There’s reason to believe they will, as leaks over the past several months have been fairly consistent in this regard. As an impending launch draws near, we’re getting an even better picture of what to expect. The Nexus 6’s impressive hardware is said to include:
- 5.9-inch, 2560×1440 (QHD) display
- Snapdragon 805 processing
- 13MP rear camera, 2MP front-facing
- 3GB RAM
- 3200mAh battery
The Motorola-made device is also expected to feature a bit of technology that debuted with the new Moto X: Turbo Charge. Turbo Charge on the Nexus 6 could deliver an 8-hour charge in only 15 minutes.
The common speculation is that Motorola originally developed the phone that would become the Nexus 6 as a phablet offering to compliment the Moto G and Moto X. We might expect a device that borrows heavily in terms of design and hardware from these options, and leaked renders suggest it will bear more than a passing resemblance. This includes a set of front-facing stereo speakers (as seen on the Moto G) but likely won’t extend to the customization options present in those Motorola-branded handsets.
Android L
The most recent buzz suggests the Nexus 9 will launch alongside the Nexus 6 and feature more prominently as the flagship device of Google’s next Android update. Android L will still be a major element of the Nexus 6, however, and come installed out of the box.
The launch of the Nexus 6 should coincide with the unveiling of an “official” name for the next iteration of the Android OS — signs point to Lollipop — and the handset will be privy to all that the new version will offer. We learned at this year’s Google I/O that features of Android L include the new Material Design interface, improved multitasking and notifications, and under-the-hood improvements with Project Volta (for better battery life) and ART (an improved runtime that replaces Dalvik and should offer increased application performance).
Google has been slowly refining Android L as developers have had ample time to beta test the latest software. What will come installed on the Nexus 6 will be the first official public release of the operating system, but users can expect future updates to further enhance software capabilities. The Nexus 6’s position as a member of the namesake Nexus line means the phone will receive these updates as soon as they are ready to ship from Google, often months before they reach other third-party Android handsets.
Low-key launch?
Ever since a hurricane quashed Google’s plans to launch the Nexus 4 in style we have seen the tech giant resort to the considerably more low-key launch strategy of sticking to a blog post to announce their latest Nexus advancements. All signs point to the same being the case this year, with Google expected to unveil the Nexus 6 (and Nexus 9) with Android L on their company blog this week. October 15th is the target, a date that may or may not have been influenced by Apple’s decision to host an iPad-themed event on October 16th.
The announcement may not include immediate retail availability. At least for the Nexus 9, the plan appears to be a pre-order starting October 17th followed by a November 3rd release. There is a good chance the Nexus 6 could follow the a similar or identical timeline, but we wouldn’t be surprised if Google has other plans. Given rumored hardware, we might also expect the Nexus 6 to come with a higher price tag than previous Nexus devices. We might again look to the Moto X for guidance, which suggests the N6 will cost no less than $499 unlocked.
One thing is certain: if the Nexus 6 sees similar demand to what previous entries in the Nexus line have experienced, the handset could land on backorder almost immediately. Those interested in buying will want to jump early if they hope to receive their device as part of the first round of shipments.
What are you hoping for?
The Nexus 6 is no secret by any means, but Google has been known to slip in a few features undetected for a launch day surprise. What are you hoping for in the Nexus 6? Do the rumors add up to a device you are eager to get your hands on? With only mere hours to wait until our curiosities are satisfied, our attention is turned to more pressing issues: will you be buying the Nexus 6?
New Android ad videos featuring Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 revealed
Looks like Google has a cool new advertisement for Android starting to hit airwaves. A total of three ads showed up during The Walking Dead’s season premier last night. The theme is “be together, not the same” which is Google’s prideful way of showing how many different Android devices there are, and how even identical devices can be completely different depending on the user.
Two of the ads give us a nice little surprise — drawings of a Nexus 6-like phone and a Nexus 9-like tablet being used by a couple of the Androidified folks in the ad. The Nexus 6 comes in the Bus Stop spot, where the tiny guy’s phone happens to be a gigantic Nexus 6. We’re not sure if everyone was laughing with him or at him after seeing how ridiculously big his phone was, but that’s the idea behind it — what may seem like a funny, weird phone to you is the perfect phone for someone else!
The Nexus 9, on the other hand, shows up in a less prominent role during the road trip ad. You’ll notice a quick shot of it being used by a blonde bearded man rocking his head to some tunes inside the Winnebago. The third and final ad doesn’t show any phone or tablet in particular — it’s just fun, cool and embodies everything Android is about.
More than just the latest Nexus devices possibly being outed here, these ads could hint toward one other big change coming out of the Googleplex — actual advertisement for Android. Since the platform launched in 2008 Google has left it up to carriers and manufacturers to advertise their Android phones and tablets however they saw fit.
But somewhere along the way, Google became conscious of branding, marketing and the need to win mind share. We’re not sure if we’ll ever see these ads on TV, but their very existence shows Google could be ready to do more to get Android’s name out there than they ever have. Be sure to watch all of them above and below.
[Reddit, Google+ via Android Authority]
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