Hasta La Gadget!

Motorola’s teasing that it’s “still on track for a summer launch of Android 2.2 for Droid X,” and considering that tomorrow is the last day of summer (sadly), that lines up nicely with new information on Droid Life today that Moto’s beast for Verizon will get blessed with the update starting tomorrow at noon Eastern Time. Verizon’s actually already posted the update document, and it’s a doozy: besides 2.2, you get improves visual voicemail with Bluetooth support, a refreshed mobile hotspot app, and a fix to prevent data connections from dropping as you move between WiFi and 3G coverage. Looks like you’ll be able to grab this of your own accord rather than having to wait for Verizon to bless you with the OTA, so gear up and enjoy one last evening with your Eclair-based Droid X. Go ahead, take it out somewhere nice, it’s treated you well.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: Verizon has independently confirmed that the update is indeed available tomorrow. Good way to start your Wednesday, we’d say.

Motorola Droid X getting Android 2.2 update starting tomorrow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Verizon, Droid Life, Motorola Owners’ Forum  | Email this | Comments

After revealing the Galaxy Tab will be coming to all four major US carriers, Samsung also said a WiFi-only version will be coming soon. No word on pricing or availability yet, but it’s pretty critical that Samsung meet the $499 base price of the iPad, especially since the Wall Street Journal says the carriers will offer the 3G version for $200 – $300, a price point that all but guarantees required data contracts given the unlocked European pricing. We’ll be trying to find out more after the press conference, so stay tuned…

Samsung Galaxy Tab WiFi-only version coming, 3G versions almost certain to require contracts originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Don’t blink — you might just mistake ViewSonic‘s new G Tablet for the ViewPad that we handled back at IFA. This guy, however, packs a very different list of internal specifications in a 10-inch tablet form factor that’s beginning to look all too familiar. Showcased for the first time last night in New York City, this guy dumps Intel’s Atom in favor of NVIDIA’s Tegra 2, and rather than booting a pair of operating systems, it relies solely on Android 2.2 — a mobile OS that Google has specifically said isn’t tailored for use on slates. At any rate, there’s also 1GB of RAM, a 1024 x 600 resolution panel, USB / HDMI, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, 16GB of storage, a 1.3 megapixel camera and a chassis that measures 9.96- x 6.5- x 0.5-inches. We’re told that it handled 1080p media without any trouble, and while the capacitive touchpanel was deemed “beautiful,” the ultra glossy coating will certainly turn off those who plan to visit the great outdoors. It’s expected to hit shelves in October with a lofty $529 retail price, and with that, we’ll simply wish it the best of luck and point you to the video past the break.

Continue reading ViewSonic outs 10-inch G Tablet: Android 2.2, NVIDIA Tegra 2 on the inside

ViewSonic outs 10-inch G Tablet: Android 2.2, NVIDIA Tegra 2 on the inside originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Laptop, Hot Hardware  | Email this | Comments

We’ve just gotten to grips with HTC’s luscious new Desire Z slider (you’ll know it as the T-Mobile G2 in the US) and it is indeed a slab of finely crafted metal. That Z hinge that the company is touting feels pretty robust, requiring a reassuring amount of torque to get it to spring open. And it really is a spring, it flips from closed to open instantaneously. The QWERTY button array feels pretty terrific, giving us just the right amount of responsiveness, while separation between keys feels a lot more spacious than the images would lead you to believe. It’s also worth noting that, exactly as HTC promised in its keynote, the Desire Z has one of the most accessible top rows in the slider smartphone business. We honestly didn’t think there was a difference between typing on it versus any of the other rows. That’s quite the feat, and easily positions this as the best competitor to Nokia’s newly announced E7. Are we witnessing a QWERTY renaissance? We sure hope so. Check out the gallery below and hands-on video after the break.

Update: Added a second video to demonstrate the Z’s ridiculously fast startup and more under Android 2.2 Froyo.

Continue reading HTC Desire Z hands-on (update: more pics and video)

HTC Desire Z hands-on (update: more pics and video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 08:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Thought the Boxee Box was the only turncoat at IDF 2010? You thought wrong — OpenPeak’s Moorestown-based tablet has dropped Linux (and Flash) cold turkey for a nice big helping of Android. The unit in front of you runs Android 2.1, but reps told us it’ll have Froyo by launch, which just so happens to be currently slated for the first quarter of next year. OpenPeak says AT&T made the decision to move to Google’s OS, and will shape the final hardware too, as the tablet manufacturer repeatedly reminded us it builds devices to its clients’ specification. As you can see, that hardware has already changed slightly since the last time we saw it run, with not only buttons that reflect its changed allegiance but also a ZigBee radio inside. The 7-inch capacitive touch screen, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G and 5 megapixel camera remain intact, though we couldn’t confirm the Moorestown chip is still clocked at 1.9GHz. That said, stock Android UI interactions were about as fast and responsive as we’ve seen. There’s no Android Market or Google Apps on the device quite yet, though the company’s still promising a custom UI layer as far as software goes — presently it’s testing a multi-user profile system that changes the available apps and background wallpaper when a user enters their pin. We’ve still no official word on price, though a rep guessed it might arrive at between $300 and $400, and subsidized on contract. It’s an interesting time to bring an Android tablet to market, and this is one to watch.

OpenPeak’s OpenTablet 7 sails towards a Q1 2011 AT&T launch with Android 2.2 on board originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments