Motorola Droid X purportedly hitting Verizon on July 19th

Take this with a mouthful of NaCl, but Droid-Life has it on authority that Motorola’s Droid X is gearing up to make the Droid Incredible seem a bit less Incredible next month. The big-screened unicorn-of-a-smartphone is purportedly set for a July 19th launch on America’s most subscribed-to carrier, with ads to start popping up on the 18th. We’re expecting to hear something official out of VZW next week, but till then, we’d suggest talking your current Android phone down from that ledge. Broken egos can lead to desperate measure, homie.

Motorola Droid X purportedly hitting Verizon on July 19th originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy Beam: world’s first Android projector phone on sale in July

Ah, here we go, Samsung’s other cellphone with an integrated projector just got an official launch date. The Galaxy Beam (codename: Halo) with its 3.7-inch Super AMOLED display is now slated to hit Singapore in July. That means that the European and broader launch across Asia should be just around the corner if Samsung’s claims from Feburary hold true. At launch, the world’s first Android phone with a built-in DLP pico projector will be served version 2.1 of Google’s confectionary delight. Specwise, we’re talking 7.2Mbps HSPA data on 900/1900/2100MHz and quad-band GSM/EDGE, Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11n WiFi, an 8 megapixel autofocus camera with flash (front-facing VGA) and HD video recording, A-GPS, FM Radio, and an 1,800mAH battery. Memory is confusingly listed as “4Gb + 2Gb + 1Gb + 16Gb MoviNAND” made worse by no mention of microSD though it was definitely there when we went hands-on with Beam at Mobile World Congress. Specs after the break.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Beam: world’s first Android projector phone on sale in July

Samsung Galaxy Beam: world’s first Android projector phone on sale in July originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 06:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC EVO 4G fully rooted, freedom loving people everywhere rejoice

You’ve undoubtedly been following the story — hell, maybe you’ve even partaking in some serious WiFi tethering. Well, the Android Police (not an actual police force) are reporting that the EVO 4G has finally been rooted, fully and completely. What’s this mean? Well, for starters, enterprising individuals will soon be writing to /system from within the OS, removing Sprint’s apps and flashing from custom ROMs. Pretty sweet, right? Hit up the source link to get started! But please, don’t brick your phone. For real.

HTC EVO 4G fully rooted, freedom loving people everywhere rejoice originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Aria goes official for AT&T, gets toyed with on video (update: $130, coming June 20)

Um… okay? In what’s easily one of the most curious product introductions of the year (in terms of method, not design), AT&T has seemingly just made official the first not-awful Android device to be sold in subsidized fashion for its network. ‘Course, those who don’t mind ponying up for an out-of-contract phone have been able to to pick up an AT&T-compatible Nexus One for a few months now, but contract lovers have been stuck with the Motorola Backflip and the promise of Dell’s admittedly underwhelming Aero. Dante Martin, a product manager at the carrier, has followed up on a prior video with a confirmation that the HTC Aria is indeed “launching on AT&T,” though he gives precisely no specifications in his address posted after the break. All we know is that the phone will most certainly ship with Sense and an optical trackball, but mum’s the word on a price or release. For now, anyway. Here’s hoping this is just the beginning — AT&T needs a decent dose of Android in the worst possible way.

[Thanks, Travis]

Update: Ah, and here’s the official presser. It’s a mid-range phone with Android 2.1, a five megapixel camera, 3.2-inch HVGA capacitive touchpanel, inbuilt WiFi and support for 7.2Mbps HSPA. There’s also a soft-touch back and a total weight of around four ounces, and AT&T says this one will be available on June 20th nationwide for $129.99 on a two-year contract (after $100 mail-in rebate, of course). As for specs? There’s a 600MHz Qualcomm MSM 7227 processor, proximity sensor, integrated GPS, a digital compass, light sensor, 512MB ROM / 384MB RAM, a microSD card slot (2GB included) and a 1,200mAh battery good for up to six hours of yapping.

Continue reading HTC Aria goes official for AT&T, gets toyed with on video (update: $130, coming June 20)

HTC Aria goes official for AT&T, gets toyed with on video (update: $130, coming June 20) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 09:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metro PCS to join Android game with a Motorola QWERTY slider

A four-row sliding QWERTY keyboard? Check. Metro PCS splash screen? Check. Motorola insignia? You better believe it. The folks at AndroidGuys have obtained what very strongly appears to be Metro PCS’ first Android phone, and along with a handful of pics there’s some alleged specs, too. From the man (or woman) behind the curtain: a 600MHz processor, 3 megapixel camera, and Android 2.1 with Motoblur dressing. An EVO 4G combatant it is definitely not — nor ever intended to be — but we wouldn’t be surprised if the price turned more than a few heads. Any indication of price, release date, or even official name is, however, still a mystery.

Metro PCS to join Android game with a Motorola QWERTY slider originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Jun 2010 17:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Android-based Innocomm Shark tunes into Taiwanese TV, makes us want to move here (video)

And you wonder why the cabbies here are so addicted to mobile TV. Innocomm’s latest — hailed as the first Android 3.5G smartphone with Telegent’s mobile TV solution — was on-hand here at Computex, and while the Shark didn’t look too special at first glance, it actually proved to be a mighty respectable phone after we opened our mind and gave it a few precious moments of our lives. The handset itself manages to boast an impressive WVGA (800 x 480) 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, and there’s an 8 megapixel camera around back to accompany the 3.5G connectivity, inbuilt WiFi and analog TV tuner. We found the device to be running Android 2.1, and for all intents and purposes, it hummed along like a clock. Touchscreen response was top notch, and the TV application loaded and closed with nary a hitch. Innocomm plans to ship the thing worldwide in the coming weeks, though users in need of a digital receiver will have to wait for a future model. Have a look at us presumably getting cursed at by a daytime drama queen just past the break.

Continue reading Android-based Innocomm Shark tunes into Taiwanese TV, makes us want to move here (video)

Android-based Innocomm Shark tunes into Taiwanese TV, makes us want to move here (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Jun 2010 13:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bonux’s Android set-top box is pretty much Google TV lite… really lite (video)

No patience left to wait for Google TV? Tough luck, bubs — ’cause Bonux’s Android set-top box ain’t shipping till the year’s end, either. Tucked away in a small corner of Computex was the gem you see above: an Android 2.1-based set-top box designed to bring… well, Android to your television. The white mockup box was strictly in place to demonstrate the software, and the inability to find a live internet connection on the floor crushed their desires to demonstrate connected extras. Essentially, this STB would scale a mobile OS up to TV size, which isn’t exactly the most elegant of solutions. That said, it does “work,” and the idea of using Android to pull in local media and web content may tempt those who aren’t willing to deal with the expense and complications of snagging a full-blown HTPC. We were told that the box could play back nearly every major file format known to man, and the HDMI output ensures broad compatibility with practically every HDTV ever sold.

When speaking with company representatives at its booth, they asserted that their goal was to shrink the white box down to the size of the black unit sitting beside it, or something barely larger than a deck of cards. If all goes to plan, they should be shipping worldwide by the end of this year, but they stated that it would be awhile before Froyo (Android 2.2) was supported given the intrinsic need for more potent hardware. Speaking of which, they’ve yet to actually nail down a final processor, and they’re still debating whether they’ll have WiFi as an option. In the end, consumers should expect “between one and three” variants (including one with an integrated TV tuner, possibly), and a retail starting price of around “$120 to $130.” So, found that patience you were looking for yet? Per usual, a video demonstration awaits you after the break.

Continue reading Bonux’s Android set-top box is pretty much Google TV lite… really lite (video)

Bonux’s Android set-top box is pretty much Google TV lite… really lite (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nexus One gets USB host driver from a dude with an oscilloscope (video)

For Sven Killig, running Android 2.2 wasn’t enough. No sir, this dude wanted even more power for his Nexus One, so he went ahead and penned a few lines of code that have allowed his Googlephone to act as a USB host. As a result, he can now do cutting edge stuff like plugging in USB keyboards and webcams, as well as more useful things like watching movies off USB sticks or connecting to a monitor via a DisplayLink USB-to-DVI adapter. All these features are demonstrated in the video after the break, and you’ll find the downloadable binaries at the source — Sven expects them to work on Android 2.1 as well.

Continue reading Nexus One gets USB host driver from a dude with an oscilloscope (video)

Nexus One gets USB host driver from a dude with an oscilloscope (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 04:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Hero (GSM) Android 2.1 update finally arrives… in Taiwan

In its day, the HTC Hero with its brand new Sense UI and browser with Flash Lite was a breakthrough, multitouch Android handset. As such, it quickly became a big seller for HTC and the carriers that sold it. Now one year later, owners of the GSM variant are still waiting for their chance at the latest Android 2.1 update. As a harbinger of things to come (we hope), the Hero 2.1 update just landed in HTC’s home country of Taiwan. Unfortunately, this will likely be the last update Hero owners receive… via official channels, anyway.

[Thanks, Lee]

HTC Hero (GSM) Android 2.1 update finally arrives… in Taiwan originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 04:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Ericsson prepping a 5-inch Android phone with QWERTY keyboard? (updated)

Well, this is just great timing. What we’re looking at here is supposedly a Sony Ericsson smartphone, which seems to sport a five-inch screen and a hinged slide-out keyboard like the HTC Shift and the Eking S515. Even if this prototype turns out to be legit, our tipster — who has a solid track record — says it’s only running on Android 2.1 and that development is in its infancy while low-level drivers are being tested. Well, we can probably wait, except we’re also told that internally SE doesn’t appear to have any plans for 2.2 yet. Cue the angry tomatoes and eggs, but bring us a PSP phone any day and we’ll call off the rally.

Update: We’ve received word from a second highly-trusted source who says that the display is 5.5 inches (too big to fit in the front pocket), and runs a clean Android 2.1 install. Oh, and it’s launching in the fall.

Sony Ericsson prepping a 5-inch Android phone with QWERTY keyboard? (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 02:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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