Motorola DROID R2-D2 Gingerbread update nearly ready, support docs posted by Verizon

Editorial Director of News and Content

| September 8, 2011

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Motorola DROID R2-D2 Gingerbread update

Now that the Motorola DROID 2 and DROID 2 Global have begun getting their Gingerbread on, the only version of the second DROID without Android 2.3 is the limited edition DROID R2-D2. That may well be changing very soon, as Verizon has support documents for the DROID R2-D2's Gingerbread update on its website. The new software is build number 4.5.602 and weighs in at 106MB. There's no mention of precisely when DROID R2-D2 owners can expect to begin seeing the update roll out, but we've got the full change log below to help you pass the time until it does.

Some DROID R2-D2 users have been concerned that their update to Gingerbread might never materialize, so it's good to see Moto and Verizon show some love to those folks and fans of Astromech Droid-based handsets everywhere. We'll let you all know when we hear more about the DROID R2-D2's 2.3 update, but you owners of the handset can begin hammering your System updates button any time you'd like. Just don't hit it too hard, because I doubt that your phone can repair itself like the real R2 can.

Android 2.3 Enhancements

Download Manager App:

New App to manage all of your downloads from web browsing, email attachments and other apps.

App and Power Management Details:

Under Manage Applications, a new “Running” tab displays a list of active applications and the storage and memory being used by each.

Multi-Touch Key-Chording:

New ability to enter numbers and symbols with keyboard shortcut combos, instead of having to change to the numeric keyboard mode.

Improved Word Selection and Copy Functionality:

New capability to select a word via press-hold. A second press of the selected word copies the selected characters.

New User Interface and Color Scheme:

New widgets, icons and screens with refreshed colors.

Dock Icons:

Static Phone, App Launcher and Contacts icons are replaced within a customizable dock. Three swappable icons and the App Launcher icon are fixed to the Dock at the bottom of all home screen panels for easy and instant access.

App Groups:

New App Menu allows creation of custom app groups, in addition to 3 default groups: All Apps, Recent and Downloaded.

Security:

Added Device and SD Card encryption. VPN enhancements integrate IPSec VPN clients into device security settings.

Updated Calendar Options:

Display Calendar and event times in your home time zone when traveling.
Dismiss individual reminders, such as dismissing one meeting reminder without dismissing other meeting reminders.
Easy conference dialing – simply dial and automatically enter a conference code directly from your Calendar.

Other Improvements

Email and Calendar:

Improved contact and calendar syncing from multiple accounts.
Email pushes now work correctly when using Exchange ActiveSync.
Exchange ActiveSync account setup will accurately present server option.
Easily see Exchange ActiveSync Calendar appointments when created.
Update Calendar appointments with Exchange ActiveSync without deleting them.

Device Features:

Improved battery life while using Wi-Fi.
Keypad backlight turns on in low light conditions.
Improvements in stability to prevent lockups, resets and “Force Close” errors.
Improvements in screen display no longer causes display screen to turn black.
Improved 3G data connectivity.
Mobile Hotspot status is displayed accurately.
Fixed issue that caused device reset and a black display screen after over the air upgrades.

Messaging: