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A quick review of Android 4.0.4 ICS on the Droid RAZR MAXX

Posted Jun 27 2012 by Dustin Karnes in , , , with 78 Comments



Android 4.0.4 is finally rolling out to the Verizon Droid RAZR and Droid RAZR MAXX, and we got our hands on it. The update will make these 2 popular Droid phones up to date, at least until we see the next version of Android released at Google I/O.

First things first, the lockscreen has been revamped to reflect the ICS lockscreen, which gives you multiple apps to unlock to: phone, text, and camera. Once unlocked, you’ll notice a surprisingly stock Android ICS experience, with what we see as minimal intervention from Motorola’s UI overlay. The app menu is stock ICS and not Motoblur, meaning you get your sideways-scrolling list of apps, followed by a section completely dedicated to widgets. If you want to bring said widgets to one of your 5 customizable homescreens, simply tap and hold, and drag to your desired page. We also get the often-desired, rarely used (for this editor) face unlock, along with a new browser (stock for ICS) with all the standard options.

This update, I’m sure, will prove to be great for MAXX and RAZR users alike. Motoblur always had a tendancy to leave me feeling bogged down, and it looks like Motorola took the hint on this. The mostly-stock ICS experience makes the phone feel faster and like it’s able to do more than it did previously.

Be sure to hit the break for a photo gallery, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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About the Author

Dustin KarnesDustin Karnes is a technology fan and Android fanatic. He fills his days with enterprise level tech support, and free time with Android news and reviews, and occasionally takes a peek at the world outside his window long enough to see the sun. His articles have been featured on many Android / Technology sites, and he runs an HTC Evo 3D, rooted and running any number of custom ROMs. He is a husband to a wonderful wife and father to two beautiful girls, and resides in Houston, TX.View all posts by Dustin Karnes →

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  • YankeesRule

    I still don’t have ICS- it still says my device is up to date :-(

    • jrivas

      I’m in L.A. no update yet…any idea y??

      • ICSPls

        no update here yet either in silicon valley…

  • Jason S

    Waiting for the OTA update, ow long have you had ics from the update?

  • http://www.facebook.com/mike.morizio Mike Morizio

    The update still hasnt been officially released yet. Today was the day that the update was supposed to be officially set out for public use, but no official word still. Best bet is tomorrow the update will be released to the public, but verizon ONLY updates 1000 phones a day (according to various verizion employees that I spoke to). Figure that out. we might be here awhile, waiting. However, the update is worth the wait, so just hang in there, if you dont receive the update by like July 1, 2012. I would go to your closest carrier’s store and beat the shit out of the manager if he dont update it for you

    • Wayfarer

      1000 phones a day, you say?

      Verizon Wireless claimed about 72 million customers a few years back. Let’s say an even 80 million now. Let’s say half those people have android phones = 40 million. Even though it’s the most popular selling phone, let’s say 1% of those people have a droid razr or droid razr maxx = 400,000. So, it will take 400 days for ICS to be rolled out to everyone = more than 1 year.
      Makes sense.

      • http://twitter.com/silvernate123 Nate Borger

        boom, probably the bet comment I’ve read in any of these forums, made my night since I’m still waiting for my ice cream

  • Anthony G

    Still waiting for for ICS, FL… wish it would HURRY!

  • rishi

    still says my device is up to date. this is such bullshit, if its not here by tomorrow im gonna be pissed

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Zach-D-Lasky/1325621436 Zach D Lasky

      i know rite? device is up to date is a lie especially since we all know it is not

    • sweethome

      I’m already pissed

      • Rishi

        honestly, waiting this long for an OS that came out last year makes me regret not getting a nexus phone. i paid 250 dollars (with taxes and an upgrade fee) for the razr maxx (as im sure most of you did) and we’re stuck with an outdated operating system. to top it off, they’ve already announced Jelly bean which makes me wonder if Motorola or Verizon is competent enough in rolling out OS updates in a timely manner. If i pay 200 dollars + for a smart phone is it really too much to ask for ICS (because i already know i’ll be dead before i get Jelly Bean). the sad thing is, in about a month, ICS wont really be the ‘latest’ OS. sorry im done ranting. im soooo pissed.

        • smarterthanuare

          Verizon doesn’t currently offer timely updates on Android phones. That’s a feature that only AT&T and T-Mobile offer. Sorry.

  • kl

    still waiting in ny

    • Jack

      Same. I am in NY as well and have been checking my phone for days!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Zach-D-Lasky/1325621436 Zach D Lasky

    I WANT MY ICS…NJ…its sad that it has been forever since it was announced and we have yet to receive it…they should’ve released it and then just minor patches

  • Mark

    When verizon says the end of Q2 they mean it. No ics in Jacksonville, Fl yet…

    • ICSPls

      Only reason i still have Verizon is the unlimited plan…other than that, F U Verizon for not offering unlimited, and raising prices for less…oh and F U Verizon for slowing down ICS release. And F U Verizon in the future, when you slow down Jelly Bean release too

      • mss2

        “Slow down”? Optimist. :-) Given the usual length of update support on non-Nexus phones, if we Maxx owners ever see an official Jelly Bean release I’ll be (pleasantly) surprised.

        Which made me think hard about the Galaxy Nexus. But every phone these days has tradeoffs, and at least thus far I don’t regret my choice, even while we’re still on Gingerbread.

        (But ask me again in 2014. :-) )

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=508399229 Lenny Kerkman

    i just hope we get it soon since the 30 is in two days which means end of the second quarter

  • CityBoyStuckInTheCountry

    If they’re going to do the update by region instead of all at once then I might as well forget about ICS until next summer since Verizon seems to forget that not everyone in South Dakota is a back-country hick that doesn’t know how to use anything more technical than a light switch.

  • Gunny

    Wife is soak testing ICS on her Maxx ….. latest is battery life not as good as expected due to inability to shut off auto 4g to 3g…..working on easy fix….expect minor delay of release to the masses.

    • Mark

      Can you elaborate? Qualify your statement maybe?

  • Donnyboy1

    Hey…Got my update over night and its’ a beaut!
    I’m on East Coast USA (Cherry Hill, NJ)- and delighted with the new tricks, visuals and speed of my Razr Maxx…
    Be patient and you’ll be pleasantly rewarded.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Rudi-Xeno/726467137 Rudi Xeno

    With fewer than 10% of Android phones updated to ICS, they introduced Jelly Bean today! These guys have no shame. Can you imagine the wait for that update?

  • D.Caporali

    According to Motorola support @17:24 tgis evening. It could be next week before all cellphones on the Verizon network get ics. Due to the soak test still being sent out to users.

  • Alice

    I have been waiting months for ICS to finally come out. Every rumoured date as gotten my hopes up over and over. I will be sorely annoyed if I don’t get it before the 30th.

  • Spasmodic

    Settings –> About Phone –> Click 3 times fast on Android Version.

    doesn’t give you the update; but there is a cute picture that pops up

  • http://www.facebook.com/kiel.uyttenhove Kiel Uyttenhove

    I’m in Southeast Michigan and I still have yet to receive my update, although I check like three times a day.

  • KewlDawg

    Does this update have the GSM (global phone) update too?

    Any new info as to when the D4 is getting ICS?

  • Rsimms49

    i feel like they playing us every week they trying to get us excited and its not really happen or we getting ics or not

  • Rogersism

    One of the reasons my next phone will be an iPhone. For a while I was hell bent on never owning an iPhone, even though I have owned previous iOS devices. With phones having all sorts of different hardware it really makes rolling out updates for ALL Android devices a real hassle, and no thanks to Verizon. Just Apple gets updates out for all of there phones at once rather than some of them. As far as I know, an iPhone will do just as much for me as my Droid did. My first two smart phones were the Droid X2 and the Droid RAZR and I’ve mingled with flashing roms and such to get as much performance out of my devices as I could. Just tired of it. Really shouldn’t take this long to get an OS out. I wouldn’t even count of ever seeing Jelly Bean on the RAZR or the MAXX.

  • brewbaron

    Got my upgrade yesterday!

  • Bill

    Just installed this update on my Droid Razr last night and I love it so far. The phone seems to run more smoothly and promptly. I still miss adding widgets via long press on the home screen though.

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  • Very dis-satisfied

    I updated my MAXX with this OS. It says System version is 6.16.211.XT912.Verizon.en.US and Android version is 4.0.4. while I note that the above mentioned upgrades seem to be OK, the main screw up is that the images seem totally blurred. Before I had good sharp pictures. Who is the st**d m***n that screwed this up?

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  • SO48

    Not thrilled with my ICS update. My cordless phone system’s Bluetooth will no longer connect (it will pair, but not connect). I work from home and use both my cell and landline for work. This may not sound like much, but it is one hell of an inconvenience.

    Too bad I can’t go back and undo this sorry ‘fix’.

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  • karen m

    My RAZR and ics don’t do using wpa. Neither Verizon nor Motorola can offer a solution.

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