Toshiba AC100 smartbook gets Android 2.2 upgrade

Smartbooks may not have exactly caught on as the next big platform, but one of the more notable examples out there is now at least a bit more of an interesting option than it was before. That would be Toshiba’s Android-based AC100, which has finally gotten the Froyo upgrade that was promised last fall. According to Carrypad, that upgrade brings with it a “noticeable performance boost,” not to mention Flash support, and access to Toshiba’s own application store, the Toshiba Market Place. What’s more, the site also notes that the smartbook has recently received a fairly significant price drop, with the WiFi-only version now available for around €200 (or about $275, 3G will cost you an extra $50 or so). Head on past the break for a video of the update process and results.

Continue reading Toshiba AC100 smartbook gets Android 2.2 upgrade

Toshiba AC100 smartbook gets Android 2.2 upgrade originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 17:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint pulls Epic 4G Froyo update, cites data connectivity and SD card issues

Well, we’re not quite sure what the trouble is with firmware updates for Samsung phones this week, but another one’s just been pulled days after it was rolled out. This one affects the Epic 4G, which has now seen its recently released Froyo update pulled by Sprint, which says it’s received reports of SD card issues and data connectivity problems from customers who’ve already installed the update. Still no word as to when a new update might be rolling out, but Sprint says that those who have already taken the plunge should be able to fix any problems with a hard reset — after they backup all their data, of course.

Sprint pulls Epic 4G Froyo update, cites data connectivity and SD card issues originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NEC’s razor-thin MEDIAS N-04C Android launched in Japan, gets carefully manhandled

We’ve already seen product shots of the crazy thin, drool-inducing NEC MEDIAS N-04C, but for a product boasting the “world’s thinnest” title, it’s always useful to see comparison shots for the sake of our curiosity. Thankfully, the good folks over at Akihabara News were present at DoCoMo’s launch event, and they were able to get up close to inspect this 7.7mm-thin Android 2.2 handset (with Android 2.3 upgrade available around July). It’s pretty amazing considering all the goodies packed within this phone — here’s a quick recap: NFC, 1seg TV Tuner, infrared port, 5 megapixel camera, 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7230 chip, etc. Oh, and this phone uses Gorilla Glass, too. If you happen to reside in Japan — which is where it’ll remain exclusive to — you’ll be able to pick up this NEC in black or white flavor on March 15, though price has yet to be announced. Video after the break, and more hands-on photos over at Akihabara News.

Continue reading NEC’s razor-thin MEDIAS N-04C Android launched in Japan, gets carefully manhandled

NEC’s razor-thin MEDIAS N-04C Android launched in Japan, gets carefully manhandled originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 10:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon now offering 7-inch Galaxy Tab for $300 on a two-year contract

Verizon is bringing a nice bit of consistency to its tablet offerings today by introducing a new two-year deal on the Samsung Galaxy Tab. The 7-inch tablet was previously available only on an unsubsidized basis, however now that the Motorola Xoom has become purchasable with a $200 subsidy in exchange for a 24-month commitment, Verizon is extending the same courtesy to potential Tab buyers as well. That means you now have a choice between the $500 strings-free Galaxy Tab or a $300 version that binds you to Verizon for a good little while.

[Thanks, Austin and Mario]

Verizon now offering 7-inch Galaxy Tab for $300 on a two-year contract originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 02:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Captivate update to Froyo pegged for tomorrow, February 24th (update: HTC Aria update coming ‘very soon’)

One false alarm is bad enough, but two would be positively evil, wouldn’t it? We’re cautiously optimistic that Samsung and AT&T are serious this time about posting the Captivate’s update to Android 2.2 starting tomorrow, another step in Sammy’s long, drawn-out road to getting all of its promised Galaxy S upgrades out the door. We’re sure owners are going to appreciate some of the simple pleasures in life that Froyo (and Gingerbread) owners have come to take for granted like being able to move apps to external storage… and it’s all just hours away. Can you feel the excitement?

Update: in an official Facebook video just posted, AT&T mentions that it’s already in the process of testing a Froyo upgrade for the HTC Aria as well — and it should be coming “very soon.”

Samsung Captivate update to Froyo pegged for tomorrow, February 24th (update: HTC Aria update coming ‘very soon’) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy S 4G now available from T-Mobile

Samsung’s Galaxy S 4G might not have the very latest version of Android or too much hardware differentiation from the original T-Mobile Vibrant, but hey, it brings a front-facing camera and HSPA+ connectivity, so of course it costs $200. T-Mobile will have disappointed many with its clarification that the Galaxy S 4G will cost a pair of Benjamins on contract, exactly as much as its Samsung-built predecessor did seven months ago, and not as the carrier had originally indicated, $150. Also similar is the fact that T-Mo is launching this phone with an Android build that’s one iteration behind the cutting edge, meaning the Froyo update headaches of last autumn may return in the form of Gingerbread jitters this spring. All the same, if the Magenta team sees fit to chop the Galaxy S 4G’s price the same way it’s been doing with its other Android handsets, we could be in for a fine bargain in the near future.

[Thanks, Matt]

Samsung Galaxy S 4G now available from T-Mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 06:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Epic 4G’s Froyo update now available, no need to wait for OTA

Samsung apparently decided it’s made Epic 4G owners wait long enough and beat Sprint’s planned OTA release schedule to the punch by a few hours, posting the EB13 build that will update their phones to Froyo on its support website. Click the source link for a .exe to run from a connected PC and upgrade over USB (for rooted and unrooted devices alike, running any earlier software build) or select the Mac link for an update.zip file that can be run directly from the phone’s SD card (stock devices running the most recent DI18 build only.) You’ll be restoring the device to a blank slate with the former so make sure you’ve backed up any important SMS’s beforehand. So far impressions from early upgraders on XDA-Developers suggest a noticeable performance boost, but other forum posts indicate some pesky bugs like Time Without Service battery drain are still hanging around, peep the full release notes after the break.

Continue reading Samsung Epic 4G’s Froyo update now available, no need to wait for OTA

Samsung Epic 4G’s Froyo update now available, no need to wait for OTA originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NEC’s MEDIAS N-04C is only 7.7mm thick, has Android 2.2, NFC, and no ambition to leave Japan

It’s only been three months since the last avalanche of NTT DoCoMo phones, but that’s not stopping the Japanese carrier from scheming up another hardware refresh. Leaked out ahead of what’s expected to be a February 24th launch, we’ve now laid eyes on what’s likely to be the highlight device of this year’s spring batch : the 7.7mm-thick NEC MEDIAS N-04C. It follows last year’s N-04B in nomenclature only, what with the older model being a flip phone, and offers a spacious 4-inch touchscreen, a 1seg TV Tuner, NFC contactless payments using Sony’s FeliCa standard, and a skinned version of Android 2.2. Look out for it in Japan soon, but don’t hold your breath if you live outside the sunlit kingdom — history has shown devices like the N-04C tend to stick to their native market.

NEC’s MEDIAS N-04C is only 7.7mm thick, has Android 2.2, NFC, and no ambition to leave Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 07:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Akihabara News  |  sourceDraft Life With Blog  | Email this | Comments

Samsung Epic 4G officially signed up for Froyo starting February 21st

Weary Epic 4G owners, wonder no more about your phone’s long-overdue update to Android 2.2, because the rumors were true: it’s nearly here. Sprint has thrown up a support page detailing the build EB13 upgrade that will kick off on February 21st, saying that all customers “should” have it by the 25th through a phased over-the-air rollout. Besides the usual Android 2.2 goodies, the update promises “GPS enhancements,” which is something that pretty much every Galaxy S owner around the world is always on the lookout for with every new firmware version. Of course, we’ll believe this all when it actually starts happening — but it’s a good sign.

Samsung Epic 4G officially signed up for Froyo starting February 21st originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NEC busts out an Android Netbook, the LifeTouch Note

NEC has debuted its first Android netbook, the humbly-named LifeTouch Note, in Japan. Spec-wise, the Note runs Android 2.2, has an NVIDIA Tegra 2 CPU, up to 8GB of memory, a 7-inch backlit (800 x 480 resolution) resistive touchscreen LCD, GPS, WiFi, SD and SDHC slots, and a 2 megapixel webcam. There will also be a 3G variety for a little extra cash, of course. Other than that, there’s no word of when this will be available in Japan, but we do know that it start at around ¥45,000 (that’s somewhere in the neighborhood of $540). Video demo is after the break, hit up the source for a huge, attractive gallery.

Continue reading NEC busts out an Android Netbook, the LifeTouch Note

NEC busts out an Android Netbook, the LifeTouch Note originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 12:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAkihabara News  | Email this | Comments