The latest manufacturer to release details of Q4 2011 profits is Motorola, and they make rather painful reading. Operating profits dropped to a pretty abysmal £44.6m operating loss.

Sales were up 5 percent on 2010, with full year sales up a healthy 22 percent across the division. The overall operating loss for 2011 was £181.4m.

Unit sales in Q4 2011 were 10.5 million phones, of which 5.3 million were smartphones, whilst Tablet sales were at 200,000. In total during 2011 Motorola Mobility shipped 42.4 mobile units, of which 18.7 million were smartphones, and over 1 million Tablets.

Motorola Mobility is currently working through a planned acquisition by Google, which is expected to be completed early this year.

“In the fourth quarter, we received very positive consumer response to Motorola RAZR, which combined an iconic brand with ultra-thin in an innovative smartphone,” said Motorola Mobility Chairman and CEO, Sanjay Jha. “We remain energised by the proposed merger with Google and continue to focus on creating innovative technologies.”

Once upon a time Motorola used to be the number one manufacturer of mobile phones, as did another telecoms giant, Nokia. And like Nokia, Motorola this week has posted disappointing results for Q4. To help revive the fortunes of Motorola, they allied themselves to the Android operating system for their smartphone devices, with a degree of success. Whether Nokia can emulate that with their more recent tie-in with the Windows Phone OS remains to be seen. Either way, in light of the excellent results posted by Apple earlier this week, there is still a long way to go yet.

The Motorola Defy Plus is a handset marketed on its ability to deal with the everyday knocks and bumps of daily life. Now Motorola have teamed up with JCB, creating a special version of one of the toughest phones on the market.

Whilst the 'lifeproof' elements of the Defy Plus make it an ideal choice for the active user, the Defy Plus is also perfect for hard working environments, such as those found on building sites, where dust and debris abound. Teaming up with JCB, who have dabbled in 'tough phones' before, provides the Defy Plus with extra credentials for the construction worker, and to top it off the handset is also endowed with a range of bespoke applications that would come in very handy on any construction job.

Within the 'Toolbox' on the phone, is a spirit level, torch, decibel meter and a unit/measurement converter application. The device also includes a rather neat Theodolite app. This camera application layers the screen with a range of information, useful to quantity surveyors, showing altitude, level, horizon, angle, GPS position and so on.

The device has an extra strong protective sleeve, to help give extra strength and durability, making it one of the toughest phones available. The screen on the phone is protected by scratch resistant Gorilla Glass, and includes a 5.0 Megapixel camera, as well as GPS receiver, WiFi, HSPA and Bluetooth. The Defy Plus is an Android device, powered by a 1 GHz processor, and will ship running the popular Android OS 2.3, known as Gingerbread.

Commenting on the Motorola Defy Plus JCB Edition, UK Marketing Director at Motorola Mobility, Victoria McManus, said: “We are thrilled to be working with JCB on this bespoke Motorola Defy Plus device. The unique protective sleeve will pull on JCB's years of expertise in the construction industry to help us reach a new audience who we know are in need of a life and work proof handset.”

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The Advertising Standards Authority has banned a Motorola ad for the Motorola Defy Smartphone, which made the claim that the device was 'life proof'.

In the ads, the Defy was seen being dropped onto the floor and not receiving any damage. However customers who had brought the phone complained that the ad was misleading after accidentally dropping their phones and damaging the screen.

The ad made claims that the Defy was built to be 'pool party proof', 'dance floor proof', 'life proof', 'water resistant, scratch resistant and dust proof'.

Motorola stated to the ASA that the ads were not misleading, and claims about the capability and performance of the device had not been exaggerated. The Motorola Defy has a scratch resistant display, and was built to resist everyday bumps, impacts, scrapes and scratches. The display is chemically strengthened to create a layer that acted as a protective armour, designed to reduce the introduction of flaws by end users.

Motorola had also provided details of 300 tests that had been done to prove that the device was strongly built.

Despite this, the ASA upheld the complaints by the customers, saying the advert was misleading for customers.

A statement from the ASA said: “We considered viewers were not likely to interpret the ads as suggesting the product was entirely damage-resistant or that there would not sometimes be faulty handsets but as promoting a product that was more durable than might be expected of a mobile phone and that it would generally withstand damage in the scenarios depicted and from day to day.”

Motorola have been ordered to no longer run the ad for the Defy in its current form.

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Motorola has joined HTC and Sony Ericsson in confirming the arrival of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich to several of its Android devices, stating via Twitter the updated OS could be coming by the beginning of next year.

The first device to rollout with Android 4.0 is the Galaxy Nexus, which was announced on the same day as the updated platform. Since then many existing users have been hoping that ICS would be coming to their device sooner rather than later.

HTC was first to come out stating they were 'looking in to Android 4.0' with a view to updating some of their devices in the near future, whilst Sony Ericsson have said the new OS will be rolled out to all of their 2011 Xperia range.

Now Motorola has confirmed via the Motorola Twitter feed that they will be looking to roll out the Ice Cream Sandwich update to some of their smartphones, 6 weeks after Google releases the final version of it. The Motorola RAZR will be one of the first devices to get Android 4.0, along with the Droid Bionic and the Motorola Xoom.

Once these devices have received the update, Motorola will confirm which other devices will also be updated.

Motorola has announced the Motorola RAZR, a powerful Android smartphone, that sets a new standard for slim smartphone devices.

Measuring just 7.1mm thick, Motorola have managed to cram in an amazing feature set into such a slim device. Boasting a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Advanced Display, the handset has a stainless steel core frame, Kevlar back and uses Gorilla Glass to give the RAZR a strong, sturdy feel, quite a feat for such a slim device. Adding to the protective elements of the handset, the Motorola RAZR is protected by a splash guard coating, including the internal electrical boards.

Running Android 2.3.5, and powered by a 1.2 GHz dual core processor, with 1 GB RAM, the handset includes an 8.0 Megapixel camera with 1080p HD video recording. The handset comes with an 1800 mAh battery, which Motorola claim will offer up to 12.5 hours of talktime, 8.5 days standby or almost 9 hours video playback from a single charge. Motorola have also included Smart Actions, which will automatically turn off power hungry applications when the battery starts to run low. Motorola claim that this can augment battery usage in real terms by up to 30%, which is quite impressive compared to the power hungry Android devices already on the market.

The handset includes support for Bluetooth 4.0, and supports HSPA high speed data connectivity, WiFi, GPS with A-GPS support, and has an internal memory capacity of 16 GB, which can be expanded with Micro SD Memory cards. Other notable features include a 3.5mm audio jack, HDMI Port, DLNA, and full media player supporting the usual range of digital music and video formats.

Full messaging support is included, with email and push email included, and Motorola claim the RAZR is 'Business Ready', with the device featuring government-grade encryption protecting email, contacts and calendar.

As with the Motorola Atrix, the RAZR will have a range of accessories made available, all designed to enhance the features and functionality of the handset. These will include two laptop docks, wireless headsets, a vehicle navigation dock, a HD dock and HD station.

“Motorola RAZR is an iconic brand, and one that originally revolutionised the mobile device industry by turning a functional necessity into an object of desire,” said Sanjay Jha, Chairman and CEO of Motorola Mobility. “Now we have done it again with a head-turning, ultra-thin smartphone that offers users breathtaking speed, innovative apps and revolutionary accessories.”

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The Motorola RAZR, which will be known as the Droid RAZR in the US Market, is set for launch in multiple markets, including Europe, from November 2011.

The Advertising Standards Authority has stepped in to force Motorola to withdraw a TV advert which claimed the Motorola Atrix as the 'world's most powerful smartphone'.

The ASA upheld two complaints received from fans of the Samsung Galaxy range, challenging the claim by Motorola. The complaints held that the Atrix could not be the world's most powerful smartphone, as the Samsung Galaxy S II i9100 has a more powerful processor.

Motorola conceded that the Samsung device has a 'slightly faster' processor, however said that the Atrix claim was based on more than just processing power, citing the other features included in the Atrix, including Dual Core Processor, 1 GB RAM, qHD Display, biometric reader and 20% more battery power than all current smartphone competitors.

In the ruling, the ASA Stated: “Motorola said although the Samsung Galaxy S II i9100 has a slightly faster processor, it did not operate the unique computer like accessory ecosystem that the Atrix did. The advert did not claim that the Atrix's processor was the fastest, but rather focussed on the combined features of the performance and capability of the product.”

However, the advertising watchdog found the advertisement misleading. “Because the Samsung Galaxy S II i9100 has a faster processor than the Atrix, we considered the claim 'The world's most powerful smartphone' had not been substantiated by comparative evidence and concluded that it was misleading.”

Busy day for Motorola yesterday, as well as the big news with the purchase of Motorola Mobility by Google, Motorola also found time to announce the pending release of an updated version of the popular Motorola Defy, the Motorola Defy+

Following on from the original, the Motorola Defy+ also offers outstanding durability, being scratch resistant, dust proof and water resistant, with an IP67 certification.

Gorilla Glass offers extra protection on the display, and in mind of the potential audience for such a device the handset comes pre-loaded with a Cardio Trainer app that makes it easy to follow the progress of a workout.

Noticeable hardware updates to the Defy+ over the original include a faster, 1 GHz processor, and the device also boasts Android Gingerbread 2.3. Powered by a 1700 mAh battery, the handset offers more power for a harder working day, and also includes a 5.0 Megapixel camera, 3.7 inch display, and internal memory storage of 2 GB.

All the usual Android goodies are included, and the device also offers the much discussed MotoBlur user interface.

The Motorola Defy+ is expected to launch in the next few months, in markets through Asia, Europe and Latin America.

Google has announced that they have an agreement to acquire the mobility division of Motorola for $12.5bn, with the deal expected to be finalised by the end of 2011, or early 2012.

Google CEO Larry Page made the announcement of the purchase via a blog post on the official Google Blog, and says the purchase will 'enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem', bringing enhancement and competition to the mobile computing industry.

Page also added that the move will 'enable us to better protect Android from anti-competitive threats from Microsoft, Apple and other companies'.

The natural fit for the two companies, according to Page, is due to Motorola Mobility's total commitment to the Android platform. Google plan to run Motorola Mobility as a separate business, with Motorola Mobility remaining a licensee of Android, and Android will remain open.

CEO of Motorola Mobility, Sanjay Jha, Said: “This transaction offers significant value for Motorola Mobility's stockholders and provides compelling new opportunities for our employees, customers and partners around the world. We have shared a productive partnership with Google to advance the Android platform, and now through this combination we will be able to do even more to innovate and deliver outstanding mobility solutions across our mobile devices and home businesses.”

Orange has confirmed the release of the Motorola Atrix, with the powerful Android device expected to be available from early May.

The Motorola Atrix is another premium Android device, with a feature set that can hold its own against the recent products from HTC, Samsung and Sony Ericsson.

The Atrix offers a 5.0 Megapixel camera, HD Video Recording, 4.0 inch Capacitive Touchscreen HSDPA, WiFi, DLNA, Biometric Fingerprint Reader, 16 GB Internal Storage, Dual Core 1 GHz Processor, GPS, HD Video playback and a HDMI Port, amongst other options.

One area where the Motorola Atrix has an edge on other devices is the accessories available; firstly with a multimedia dock that allows you to attach a USB keyboard, Mouse and Speakers, and a Laptop Dock that allows you to connect your device to a Laptop and view the handset display on the PC Screen.

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To get the latest news on offers for the Atrix, sign up on the Motorola Atrix Deals page.

The Motorola Atrix will be one of the most advanced mobile phones when it is released, and for those eager to get their hands on one of the most powerful Android devices to date will be pleased to hear that T-Mobile has confirmed the Atrix will be part of their forthcoming range of new handsets.

The Atrix boasts a dual core 1 GHz processor plus 1 GB RAM, with a qHD touchscreen display, 5.0 Megapixel camera and front facing VGA camera for video calls, and an impressive 16 GB internal memory which can be expanded via Micro SD memory cards, up to 32 GB in size.

But the Motorola Atrix is more than just the device, as Motorola also plan a range of accessories that will further enhance the features of the handset. A docking station allows you to connect the Atrix to a laptop and view content on the laptop display, plus a multimedia dock allows you to connect the handset to a TV, with a remote control, via which you can view your media on the larger TV screen. The media dock has multiple USB connectors, via which you can connect a mouse, keyboard and speakers, turning the Atrix into an impromptu PC.

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The Atrix, already confirmed for Orange, is expected to launch in June 2011. To sign up for news of our offers on the Atrix when it releases, head on over to our Motorola Atrix Offers page.