Verizon delays Android 2.1 rollout to Motorola Droid, new date is TBD

Oh, bollocks! After hearing for days that Verizon Wireless would be pushing out the highly anticipated Android 2.1 update to its stable of Droid users, along comes this. Internal company documentation clearly states that the aforementioned update won’t be going down today, and there’s no clear indication of when it will. To quote:

  • “The OTA software update for the Droid by Motorola is TBD. A new date will be communicated as soon as possible.
  • The 3/18 OTA software update will not happen as planned. A new date will be communicated as soon as possible.”

We knew things were just too quiet after the noon hour, and now we know why. An impromptu support group meeting has been scheduled for 1:30PM ET, though we’re hearing the location is still being decided…

Verizon delays Android 2.1 rollout to Motorola Droid, new date is TBD originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Make it four: Google’s Nexus One coming to Sprint

Making the rounds, are we Google? Just over 24 hours after we saw an AT&T-friendly Nexus One go on sale, along come Sprint yelling “me too!” at the top of its lungs. Today marks the day that Google’s first-ever smartphone now has at least a holding place on all four of the major US carriers, with T-Mobile nabbing it first and Verizon users still waiting for that vague “spring release.” Unfortunately, Sprint’s making us wait when it comes to finding out an exact price and release date, but at least we’re assured that both are coming “soon.”

Make it four: Google’s Nexus One coming to Sprint originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola CLIQ XT comes to T-Mobile for $129.99

Your hopes, dreams, and deepest desires for a keyboardless CLIQ have finally materialized today now that Motorola’s CLIQ XT has reached T-Mobile shops across the country. Interestingly, yesterday’s leaked documentation pegged the date, but not the price — rather than the rumored $99.99, the XT will actually be going for $129.99 on a two-year contract. We guess that’s still not bad for a bona fide myTouch 3G alternative with a 5 megapixel cam — as long as you can get down with Blur, of course.

Motorola CLIQ XT comes to T-Mobile for $129.99 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nexus One hits for AT&T and Rogers 3G bands

That’s it folks — the heat is on. Today Google’s Nexus One has hit the virtual shelves equipped for 3G action on AT&T and Rogers networks… free of any contracts or nasty carrier locks. The device can be purchased from Google’s phone store right now for $529, and if your pocketbook is hurting later today — don’t say we didn’t warn you. This is the moment you’ve been waiting for, right? Full PR after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Nexus One hits for AT&T and Rogers 3G bands

Nexus One hits for AT&T and Rogers 3G bands originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comcast will beat DirecTV to the punch by broadcasting the Masters Tournament in 3D April 7-11

Very cagey way to play it Comcast. While DirecTV, ESPN and Discovery were first to say they would have 3DTV broadcasts back at CES, the cable company will actually be the first to deliver it, starting with the Masters Tournament (but why not the 3D broadcast of the Final Four?) April 7-11. That’s right, the first “live next-generation 3D broadcast of a major sporting event on TV, the first live simulcast of a next-gen 3D event online, and the industry’s first live multi-camera next-gen 3D production” will be on cable (& internet), not satellite or telco. Again, that’s right, if you don’t have a 3D television set up yet, it will also be streamed at Masters.com (no word whether this is a Comcast only or if it will be open to all) for all those with a 3D setup on their PC. We’ll temper our expectations until we see what kind of quality is able to squeeze through Comcast’s fiber backbone and down our neighborhood coax wires, but this should certainly blow away the anaglyph stuff currently offered on VOD. Of course, the old school HD streams will still be broadcast on ESPN and CBS, but if Tiger really does make his comeback at Augusta this should give us a better view of the course (and any residual damage from that “car accident”) than ever before.

[Thanks, Simon]

Comcast will beat DirecTV to the punch by broadcasting the Masters Tournament in 3D April 7-11 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Confirmed: HTC HD2 will not be upgraded to Windows Phone 7 series

Bad news, HTC HD2 owners: Microsoft has finally come right out and confirmed our suspicions that the mighty HTC HD2 won’t be upgraded to Windows Phone 7 Series. Joe Belfiore just told us that the HD2 is “not compliant with the Windows Phone 7 Series hardware specifications,” which should end any of the lingering doubt that’s clouded this issue since MWC. That certainly puts a damper on the HD2’s upcoming launch on T-Mobile, but hey — every Microsoft employee here at MIX is carrying one, so it’s clearly the WinMo handset to get until it’s eclipsed by 7 late in the year. Pour one out for the king, friends.

Confirmed: HTC HD2 will not be upgraded to Windows Phone 7 series originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Confirmed: Marketplace will be the only way to get apps on Windows Phone 7 Series

We just got out of a meeting with Microsoft’s Todd Biggs, who dropped a little bombshell on us: the only official way to get apps on a Windows Phone 7 Series device will be to download them from the just-detailed Windows Phone Marketplace. That means developers will have to abide by Microsoft’s technical and content guidelines in order to make it in, with the very real possibility of rejection — sound familiar? Todd told us Microsoft plans to avoid Apple-style submission headaches by making the process transparent and predictable, with a group of Microsoft execs regularly meeting to examine edge cases and refine the guidelines as needed, but even the best intentions can be led astray by a sexy app or two. We also got some additional details on Marketplace and how it’s going to work, catch the highlights after the break.

Update: Microsoft wanted us to clarify that enterprise customers will be able to deploy apps to employees outside the consumer-facing Marketplace — details on that will be released in the future.

Continue reading Confirmed: Marketplace will be the only way to get apps on Windows Phone 7 Series

Confirmed: Marketplace will be the only way to get apps on Windows Phone 7 Series originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Phone Marketplace for Windows Phone 7 Series unveiled

The biggest chunk of eye candy we’ve seen out of Microsoft’s MIX10 event so far today has been the unveiling of the significantly-retooled Windows Phone Marketplace that’ll debut in Windows Phone 7 Series — and needless to say, it’s a looker. It’s got support for credit card purchases, operator billing, and ad-supported content — a hot topic right now with Google’s and Apple’s mobile advertising acquisitions — and a try-before-you-buy scheme not unlike Android Market’s policy (though WP7S devs can choose what kind of trial period they want to offer; Android devs have no such option). We’ve been offered some video of the new Marketplace in action, and it looks super polished and well-integrated with the typical WP7S way of getting around — you’re given a “panoramic view” where you can browse categories and titles, see featured items, and get details with ratings, reviews, screen shots, and pricing information. Purchased apps can be pinned to your Quick Launch screen, saving you a couple taps for your favorite and most frequently-used items. Watch the full video after the break — and keep an eye out for the trick “tilting” of menu items based on finger location toward the end of the clip, something we haven’t seen before.

Continue reading Windows Phone Marketplace for Windows Phone 7 Series unveiled

Windows Phone Marketplace for Windows Phone 7 Series unveiled originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft announces Windows Phone 7 Series dev partners and details apps: Sling, Pandora, Foursquare and Xbox gaming (video!)

Microsoft just dropped its first press release of MIX 10 on us, and in addition to detailing the Sliverlight and XNA-based Windows Phone 7 Series development situation, we’ve also got a list of launch software partners and some screenshots of apps in action. There’s some heavy hitters here, and everything from games to enterprise apps are represented — notables include the Associated Press, Citrix, EA Mobile, Foursquare, Namco, Pangeonce, Pandora, Seesmic, Shazam, and Sling. We’re slated to see some demos of these in action, we’ll let you know how things look. Full list after the break.

Updating with impressions (and video!) after the break!

Continue reading Microsoft announces Windows Phone 7 Series dev partners and details apps: Sling, Pandora, Foursquare and Xbox gaming (video!)

Microsoft announces Windows Phone 7 Series dev partners and details apps: Sling, Pandora, Foursquare and Xbox gaming (video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft demos third-party apps for Windows Phone 7 Series: Silverlight, extensions, and true Xbox gaming

Well we’ve just gotten a look at some of the first third-party applications written for Windows Phone 7 Series with Silverlight — and they’re looking pretty darn slick. Corporate VP Joe Belfiore first showed off the Associated Press newsreader app while demoing the new OS in front of an audience at MIX10 (Microsoft’s developer pow-wow). There wasn’t a lot to glean from the quick look, but it’s clear that the developers are hewing very closely to the UI paradigms of WP7S with a multi-panel system that lets you jump through various news stories and topics. Joe touted the ability to view photos and video (utilizing some pretty slick animations) and also showed off breaking news alerts which allow you to jump to news stories as they break. We also saw a sneak preview of the monetization scheme for the AP, an animated, fly-over Ford ad that was actually a little troubling — think annoying Flash ads… but in your apps and on your handset.

Continue reading Microsoft demos third-party apps for Windows Phone 7 Series: Silverlight, extensions, and true Xbox gaming

Microsoft demos third-party apps for Windows Phone 7 Series: Silverlight, extensions, and true Xbox gaming originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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