Hasta La Gadget!

We admit, we were pretty stoked when we first saw the Acer Aspire One AOD250 running Android in dual-boot mode. What could possibly be bad about it? Fast start-up, Google apps… other good things that aren’t coming to mind at the moment… what could go wrong? Turns out, just about everything. See, the Aspire One AOD250 has an unfortunate lack of Google blessing, so that means no Gmail, which is really Android’s killer app, and no Marketplace either — so no opportunity to track down a different killer app. You can use your Google account for hooking up with Gcal, Gtalk and Google Contacts, but your Gmail account gets set up as a webmail shortcut to the included Firefox app — which does an alright, slightly hacked-on job of augmenting the standard Android browser, including support for Flash. Unfortunately, with connection woes over WiFi and Ethernet (as seen on the video), there wasn’t much redeemable even there, and perhaps the best news about the device is that it can be fully booted to XP at any time by clicking on the corner of Android’s home screen. We still think there’s promise for Android on a netbook, but it’s going to need some serious TLC (also, Gmail) before it’s ready for prime time. Check out our video impressions after the break.

Continue reading Acer Aspire One AOD250 impressions: Android gone bad

Filed under: Laptops

Acer Aspire One AOD250 impressions: Android gone bad originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In an interview given to Forbes, HTC CEO Peter Chou spoke pretty candidly about the widespread desire for an Android version of the HD2, and says the phone won’t be finagled thusly. “Technically, we could make the HD2 an Android phone, but I have to take care of Windows Mobile,” said Chou, after which we imagine popped in a stick of Juicy Fruit and didn’t offer to share any with the rest of the class. Of course, this doesn’t rule out a handset with similar specifications to the HD2, like the Dragon, matching DROID’s push toward Android 2.0 and modern hardware, but it seems to imply that at least it won’t be called “HD2,” and probably won’t look much like it either. Chou did admit that Windows Mobile innovation has been “a little slow” and that interest is declining, and says HTC is “working hard on these kinds of products to get excitement about Windows Mobile back.” He didn’t hold back on Google, however, saying that some of its actions can be “destructive” but that “we’ve worked with Microsoft for 13 years … I also believe we can work with Google for a long time.”

[Via SlashGear]

Filed under: Cellphones

HTC CEO says he could but won’t make HD2 an Android phone, has to take care of Windows Mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anyone with an existing Android device and a nasty case of DROID envy today might want to hold off before switching devices, emptying the bank account, and possibly switching carriers in the process, because HTC’s got a little bit of information here to end our day on a high note. Here’s the full quote:

“Yes, we are working on an Eclair update for the HTC Hero. Because Eclair is a significantly enhanced release, it will require some time to update Sense for this new version of the Android OS. Please be patient while we work to provide you with a tightly integrated experience like the one you are already enjoying on your Hero.”

Bottom line, the Hero is signed up for Android 2.0 and it’s just a matter of HTC getting Sense ported and tested — makes sense (no pun intended), and we imagine Motorola will have to go through these same hoops with BLUR. The company went on to mention that it intends to bring the update to all versions of the Hero, though it’s up to partners (like Sprint, for instance) to help coordinate how and when that’s going to go down. We don’t have any information on the sundry Dream and Magic variants around the world at this point — but it’s important to remember that the Hero uses the same processor as its older siblings, so at least there’s hope for a good xda-developers port if nothing else.

Filed under: Cellphones

HTC confirmed to be cooking up Android 2.0 update for Hero, other devices unclear originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hey everyone, it’s Droid day! We’ve got the new Motorola Android handset in house–which means that Sascha Segan is going to be putting in some late hours tonight, rushing to bring you the most in-depth review of the new phone you’ll be able to find anywhere. In the meantime, he’s sending us dispatches from deep within the PC Labs, just to let us know that he’s still alive.

For starters, check out this slideshow featuring the handset in all its glory, with some bonus shots alongside Android predecessors, the T-Mobile G1 and HTC Hero–oh, and there’s something called an “iPhone,” too. Not sure how that thing got in there. From the looks of it, the Droid is a big phone, but not unwieldy. It’s got a bigger footprint than the iPhone, but it looks a bit smaller and slimmer than the aforementioned Android phones.

Also, be sure to check out this video of the Droid–there’s plenty of pre-review hands-on action, and you get to hear the thing croak its name every time its receives a message. Let’s not forget that this is Terminator of phones, after all.

The phone will launch on November 6th, selling for $199.99 with that obligatory two-year Verizon contract and a $100 mail-in rebate. Check out more info here and stay tuned for the full review at PCMag.