Moto X (2nd Gen) getting Android 5.1 soak test in Brazil, comes with a cool new flashlight gesture

Motorola has announced that their 2nd generation Moto X has started receiving Android 5.1 Lollipop, though only in limited capacity. The rollout has started as a soak test out in Brazil, with the company saying they’re working hard to ready it for more regions and carriers shortly down the line.

Motorola has also detailed a new feature they’ve included alongside the bug-squashing goodness of Android 5.1 — chop twice for flashlight. It’s a new gesture that lets you move your phone in a chopping motion (as if you were chopping veggies) to quickly enable or disable your flashlight. It’s a nice alternative to having to unlock your phone, head to the app menu and find an app just to get that pesky LED light to turn on.

[via Motorola]

Motorola invites DROID Turbo users to new soak test; is it finally Lollipop?

It’s coming, folks. Motorola has sent soak test notifications to Motorola DROID Turbo users informing them that they can participate in an early trial of an upcoming software upgrade. Be sure to check your email for instructions if you’ve signed up to be part of Motorola’s Feedback Network.

The company didn’t share what, exactly, was in store, but considering units have been spotted in the wild with Lollipop (and folks are so anxious that Motorola had to keep reminding us Lollipop is coming) we’re willing to bet it’s that. Of course, there’s a chance it isn’t and we could be getting a very disappointing maintenance release.

But it’s been so long. You guys have waited longer than most other owners of contemporary Motorola smartphones. It’s cruel and unusual if this isn’t Lollipop. Fingers crossed that it is.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Moto X (2013) begins soak testing for Android 5.1 Lollipop update

The original Motorola Moto X may be close to 2 years old, but that doesn’t mean users are any less impatient to get Lollipop. It has been a long wait for this big update. Last month we heard the update was in testing and would arrive in a few weeks if everything went well. Apparently everything went well, because now we’re hearing the update is in soak testing.

Software product manager David Schuster says they are soak testing in the U.S. right now. If everything looks good again we could see the official update roll out as early as next week. They also are soak testing in Brazil and Canada. In order to get the update notification make sure you’ve accepted any updates from the Play Store for Motorola Update Services (to version 4 or higher). Do we have any Moto X (1st Gen) soak testers?

[via Google+]