Hasta La Gadget!

So, that new 2.3 version of Gmail that launched in September? Yeah, we’d steer clear if you haven’t nabbed it yet. Google’s currently trying to track down a bug that’s leaving many users (including our own hapless Chris Ziegler) unable to download any attachments. Interestingly, or disconcertingly if you’re of the pessimistic sort, Google actually has a “Gmail attachment issues investigation” page set up to allow highly technical users to submit debug reports of the problem. Sure, we’re all for crowd sourcing, but we also wouldn’t mind a big sturdy “hey guys, we’ve got this” on an issue of this magnitude. The worst part? You can’t revert to the old version of Gmail if you’ve got the latest OTA update on your fancy new T-Mobile G2.

Interestingly, while we were discussing this issue, ensconced in the Engadget HQ jacuzzi, adult beverages in hand, we got a tip from some poor soul detailing a bug that’s been in Android since the G1 days. Basically, if you fail at the pattern unlock too many times, the phone will ask you to enter your Google account info to unlock your phone. Sounds like a smart security feature, but unfortunately it doesn’t work. The insanely detailed thread on Google’s Android bug tracker reads like a history of the Android platform and the futility of man rolled into one, with various workarounds being discovered for different phones, and many desperate users resorting to wiping their phones and starting over. Sure it’s minimal in the grand scheme of things, and plenty of platforms have outstanding bugs years after release, but we figured a little *bump* couldn’t do anyone any harm. This one’s for you, Dylan R.

Rough edges cut deep: Android still facing years-old unlock screen bug, Gmail 2.3 attachment woes have Google stumped originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Attachments issue, Unlock issue  | Email this | Comments

Remember when Google opened up its own portal for purchasing the Nexus One? It was January 2010, and the URL was as simple as www.google.com/phone — ah, those were the days. Of course, the store has been down since late July when the phone sold out (permanently), so what’s the company to do with such a catchy web address? Simple: make a database of devices running your über-popular Android OS and help customers both compare and find where to buy. Only, it’s not just any devices running the platform: according to the Official Google Mobile blog, “all the phones in the gallery include Android Market, Google Search, and other Google Mobile services such as Gmail, Maps, and YouTube.” In other words, no phones that meddle with the Android Vision by opting for Bing or Yahoo instead. Maybe Fascinate can join the ranks after that purported Android 2.2 launch, but for now it’s conspicuously absent. Them’s the breaks — still, it’s fun to explore and draw up side-by-side comparison charts. Go on, give it a whirl, why don’t ya?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Google opens Android database at former phone store URL, but only for devices using Google services originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 00:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Official Google Mobile blog  |  Google Phone Gallery  | Email this | Comments

We’ve always said the native Gmail app is one of the best parts of Android, and it just got even better: it now supports Priority Inbox, has a “show quoted text” button, and features a floating message actions toolbar like the browser-based mobile Gmail webapp. The bigger news, though, is that Google’s releasing Gmail directly to Android Market, where it’ll be a separate download that can be revved with new features independently of Android itself. That’s a pretty great move, as anyone still waiting for a carrier-approved Froyo build can attest, but there’s irony afoot: the new Gmail won’t run on anything less than 2.2. Wah-wah.

Gmail for Android updated, becomes Market app originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 15:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Google  | Email this | Comments

It was facing an August 31st deadline before India banned BlackBerry service in the country, but it looks like RIM has now managed to avoid that scenario — at least for a little while. According to India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, “RIM have made certain proposals for lawful access by law enforcement agencies and these would be operationalized immediately,” and that “the feasibility of the solutions offered would be assessed thereafter.” Details are still a bit light beyond that, but India’s assessment will apparently come after 60 days, and there’s still no guarantee that we won’t end up back at square one at that point. Interestingly, India is also still raising complaints about Gmail and Skype, with it now saying that it wants Google and Skype to set up servers in the country that would give it greater monitoring capabilities.

RIM averts BlackBerry ban in India… for now originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  The Globe and Mail, NDTV  | Email this | Comments

Apple and Google haven’t been BFFs lately, but the search giant still seems to care about iPhone users. Kind of, sort of. Google this week released an update for its Google Mobile app for iPhone, which introduces push notifications for Google’s calendar and a barely functional push feature for Google mail.

For iPhone users subscribed to Google calendars, the Google Mobile app can now push out an event alert in a box that appears on the home screen, just like you’d receive an SMS message. That’s useful.

But for Google mail, the new push feature is somewhat less useful. The updated app doesn’t push out a box to let you know of a new e-mail. Instead, it just updates the icon of the Google Mobile app, adding a little red bubble that shows the number of e-mails in your inbox. This “notification” doesn’t cause the iPhone to vibrate or make a sound. The result is that the Gmail notifier is essentially useless, since you can already configure Gmail to “push” into Apple’s built-in Mail app with sounds and vibrations  — the whole shebang — to actually notify you.

Frankly, we’re disappointed that the push feature for Google mail isn’t more functional. Adding the ability to push e-mails in the form of an alert box, just like Google did with calendar, would’ve been far more interesting.

If that’s what you’re looking to get from Google mail, you can download the third-party iPhone app GPush, which we covered last year.

See Also:

• Gmail Push App for iPhone Is a Workaholic’s Best Friend
• Push Gmail Comes to iPhone
• Google Beefs Up Voice Search, Mobile Sync
• Google Adds Calendar And Contact Sync to Almost Every Phone …