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Feb 02

Nexus One’s big update can be had without the wait

Posted in: Android, Google, hack, multitouch, nexus one, NexusOne, Today's Chili, update

Android’s devised one of the slickest, most widely-deployed systems for delivering over-the-air operating system updates to smartphones, but there’s a problem: you’ve got to wait until your carrier (or manufacturer) blesses you with them. They’re typically deployed in rolling batches so that it’s easier for the company to do one final test of the code’s veracity and limit potential damage before sending it to a wider audience — but where there’s a will, there’s a way, right? As is often the case with these things, some folks have found a way to get the Nexus One’s glorious new multitouch code on the phone before Google’s willing to give it to you, and for anyone who’s done this before, it’s a fairly standard-issue procedure: copy the update to the root of your microSD card, reboot into recovery mode, and apply the binary. We’ve tested the procedure and it works like a champ, so if you’re feeling impatient, go ahead and pull the trigger — we’re going to go out on a limb here and say that the risk of bricking is pretty low.

[Thanks, Jeremy]

Nexus One’s big update can be had without the wait originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source Android Forums | Email this | Comments

Feb 02

Nexus One gets a software update, enables multitouch (updated with video!)

Posted in: Android, breaking news, BreakingNews, Google, multitouch, nexus one, NexusOne, Software, Today's Chili, update, upgrade

The iPhone isn’t the only handset getting bumped today — Google’s just outed a very, very significant update to the Nexus One that includes Google Goggles on board and a re-upped version of Google Maps that includes suggestions and a dedicated night mode. Much more significantly, though, they’ve capitulated and enabled multitouch in Browser, Gallery, and Maps — great news and a big win for the Android community at large. Finally, there are some 3G improvements in there, but you might have to wait a bit — Google expects to have it rolled out to pretty much everyone toward the end of the week. Seriously though, now that we’ve gotten that whole multitouch spat cleared up, it’s time for Engadget to rally around something else: ridding the world of tiny ninjas, perhaps? Follow the break for a video of the new firmware — in all its multi-fingered glory — in action!

Update: ReadWriteWeb’s gotten an official statement from Google on the question on everyone’s mind: why now? The company says that Android 2.1 “powers a new class of devices” with more horsepower and bigger displays, and “based on these new capabilities and numerous requests from Android users, we decided to provide pinch-to-zoom capabilities with this new over-the-air software update for Nexus One devices.” This sounds like a total cop-out to us — HTC got multitouch working just fine on the Hero way back on 1.5 — so we still think they just got uncomfortable with the noise surrounding the groundswell of demand for it. Of course, that’s fine by us — power to the people, right?

Continue reading Nexus One gets a software update, enables multitouch (updated with video!)

Nexus One gets a software update, enables multitouch (updated with video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source Google | Email this | Comments

Feb 02

Dyzplastic’s authorized Android figurines not upgradeable, but guaranteed not to crash

Posted in: Android, Google, Today's Chili

Physically expressing the love that you feel for your Android-powered device can be difficult — hugging and caressing the phone gets old after a while, truth be told. Good news, though: artist Andrew Bell has teamed up with Google to release a series of authorized Android robot figurines, starting with an initial run of 12 designs in blind boxes (collect ’em all!). The statuettes of the cute little guy stand 3 inches tall, feature articulating heads and arms, and will be available starting the 10th of this month — just in time for that Devour, with any luck.

Dyzplastic’s authorized Android figurines not upgradeable, but guaranteed not to crash originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source Dyzplastic | Email this | Comments

Feb 01

Motorola Devour for Verizon gets boxed, shares Pixi’s processor? (update: Moto’s support site is live)

Posted in: Android, in the wild, InTheWild, motorola, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw

Motorola’s so-called Calgary has found itself on a lengthy, fascinating journey from rumor to retail — a journey that began way back in 2008. Finally, here we are a whole bunch of months later, the high-end Droid having been released back in November and Verizon still without a midrange choice for Android hopefuls — but that’s about to change. Right, Verizon? Right? The latest intel from Android and Me suggests that the Devour (as it’ll almost certainly be known to the public) will feature a Qualcomm MSM7627 — the same next-gen entry-level core being used by the Pixi that’s designed to replace the aging MSM7600 series, very likely a chip that we’re going to be seeing a whole lot of over the next 12-18 months in devices that manufacturers don’t deem worthy of Snapdragon. Meanwhile, Android Central seems to have scored a shot of some promotional material for the Devour suggesting that it’s not far off — the site says we’re looking at a retail box here, but considering how small and narrow the Droid’s box is, this could actually be some in-store signage or something to that effect. We’ll know soon enough, hopefully.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: And look at this, Motorola’s support documents for the Devour are now live (we count 10 pages’ worth, total). Not too much interesting in here, but we can confirm that the name will be Devour, it’s got WiFi, and there’ll be a car kit available. Thanks, Stormdancer!

Motorola Devour for Verizon gets boxed, shares Pixi’s processor? (update: Moto’s support site is live) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source Android Central, Android and Me | Email this | Comments

Feb 01

Alcatel’s Pre-alike OT-980 with Android seeks to undercut HTC Tattoo

Posted in: Android, Today's Chili

North Americans are about as familiar with Alcatel as Europeans are with baseball, but the brand — owned by China’s TCT — actually does a decent amount of low- to mid-end handset business around the world. One thing Alcatel isn’t known for, though, is venturing into the smartphone fray, so it comes as a bit of a surprise that they’re taking a swing at the Android market here with the OT-980 slider. Even more surprising, perhaps, is the fact that it basically looks like a cheesy Pre with red accents, but stay with us: TCT wants to undercut HTC’s ultra low-cost Tattoo when it brings the 980 to market, so you might be able to find this one for peanuts. Apart from the fact that it runs Donut, the spec sheet reads pretty nicely, too, with 192MB of RAM, Qualcomm’s relatively new 600MHz MSM7227 core, WiFi, 3G, and a magnetic compass, but you’ll have to wait a bit — it’s not expected to hit the market for another few months, it seems.

Alcatel’s Pre-alike OT-980 with Android seeks to undercut HTC Tattoo originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Unwired View, IntoMobile | source FrAndroid | Email this | Comments

Feb 01

Hivision’s Android-based PWS700CA netbook gets video review, may sport sub-$100 price tag

Posted in: Android, arm, Google, hands-on, netbook, pics, pictures, review, reviewed, Today's Chili

Oh, Hivision — always up for making us chuckle. Just weeks after we spotted the outfit’s $149 netbook with a lackluster Cortex A9 processor, along comes this: the PWS700CA. Reportedly, the company is still scouting distributors in order to get this thing out to the masses, but if all goes well, it could be sold to end users for right around a Benjamin. What makes this one marginally interesting, though, is the fact that Android is on board; yeah, it’s not like Google’s mobile OS is really cut out for netbook use, but it sure beats the browsing experience found in Windows CE. The device you’re peering at above will eventually ship with a 600MHz ARM926 processor, 128MB of RAM, a 7-inch display (800 x 480 resolution), 720p video playback support, WiFi, Ethernet and the usual complement of ports. Hop on past the break for a look at how it fared in testing, and feel free to ping Hivision directly if you’re feeling all distributor-y.

Continue reading Hivision’s Android-based PWS700CA netbook gets video review, may sport sub-$100 price tag

Hivision’s Android-based PWS700CA netbook gets video review, may sport sub-$100 price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source ARMDevices | Email this | Comments

Feb 01

Android ported to Pandora, in the name of science or something

Posted in: Android, AndroidOs, Google, GoogleAndroid, hack, Hacks, os, rom, Today's Chili

Okay, folks, you know the drill: here lies new hardware, may we see it hacked to run unintended software. Today’s contestant is Pandora, once thought to be relegated to the realm of vaporware and now in full production. One of the lucky, open source-friendly buyers decided that the native Linux distribution was just not for his liking, and instead opted for Google’s little green man mobile OS. Touchscreen support isn’t there yet, but you gotta start somewhere, right? Video of Android on Pandora after the break. Now we wait until the time we can gleefully say “Pandora (the app) on Android on Pandora” while we listen to some rocking streamed tunes.

Continue reading Android ported to Pandora, in the name of science or something

Android ported to Pandora, in the name of science or something originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 07:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Pandora Press | source YouTube | Email this | Comments

Jan 31

Motorola Backflip spotted in the wilds of China

Posted in: Android, chinese, Google, in the wild, InTheWild, moto, motorola, on sale, OnSale, smartphone, Today's Chili

Motorola’s Backflip has yet to springboard itself over to AT&T, but those who call China home can hop on the bandwagon right away. Said phone — which sports a full touchscreen and a physical QWERTY thanks to the horizontal clamshell design — is now available from Moto’s Chinese portal for 4,298 Chinese yuan (in unlocked form), which translates to right around $630. While the rest of the world awaits the phone’s launch later this quarter, you can hit up Mobile.163.com for a downright beautiful gallery of in the wild shots. Go on, it’s safe. We think.

[Thanks, Me]

Motorola Backflip spotted in the wilds of China originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Unwired View | source Motorola China, 163 | Email this | Comments

Jan 29

Nexus One for AT&T’s 3G bands likely in the works

Posted in: Android, att, Google, HTC, nexus one, NexusOne, Today's Chili

By all appearances, Google’s trying to break Android free of the surly bonds of the manufacturers and carriers that support it, opening its own online store and selling unlocked Nexus Ones to anyone willing to pony up the $529. Problem is, the Nexus One as we know it today is only available in a configuration that supports North American 3G on AWS spectrum, meaning you’ve got to go with the States’ fourth-largest carrier if you want to blaze — you’ve got no other option. That’s not very “open,” is it, Google?

That brings us to an FCC finding today. Take a look at the two labels above; the one on the right comes from the current Nexus One. The label on the left, meanwhile, is physically identical and comes from a new filing for a device with FCC ID NM899110. The old Nexus One has ID NM899100, so this new device is just a single digit off — likely a variant of the existing model. If you look into the RF reports a bit, you’ll immediately notice that the new handset supports 3G on WCDMA Bands I, II, and V, meaning that it’ll work on AT&T (and Rogers, Bell, and Telus for the Canadians in the room) along with most of Europe. Same label style, nearly identical model ID, different bands — we think we know what’s going on here. Google, your move.

[Thanks, wonderbread]

Nexus One for AT&T’s 3G bands likely in the works originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source FCC (old Nexus One), FCC (new Nexus One?) | Email this | Comments

Jan 29

T-Mobile myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition impressions

Posted in: Android, hands-on, HTC, impressions, t-mobile, Today's Chili

Last October, we would’ve never guessed that T-Mobile would bother to circle back with HTC on the myTouch 3G to craft a slightly modified version that fixes everyone’s single biggest complaint — the lack of an integrated 3.5mm headphone jack — but here we are now in January with that very product resting in our hands. Even crazier, though, is that the only version of the modified phone (or, at least, the only version announced so far) is a limited edition tie-up with Fender and pitchman Eric Clapton. Strange bedfellows, indeed — maybe just strange enough to work. Seriously, who doesn’t want a phone endorsed by one of the hippest, most storied brands of the 20th century?

Gallery: T-Mobile myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition impressions