Hasta La Gadget!

If you’re an avid Twitter user and an avid Android smartphone user, you’ve been waiting for this day. The day where those developers at Twitter’s headquarters man up and release a Twitter app that can seriously compete with the likes of TweetDeck, Twidroid, and HootSuite. Well, fellow tweeters, it appears that time has come — the official Twitter Android 2.0 app just hit the Market and it includes a pretty drastic UI overhaul, some bug fixes, and a few more key features.

Naturally, we hit the update button as soon as it popped up on our Droid 2 Global, and we have to say the first thing we noticed was the speed increase — our feed loaded quickly and jumping over to the different columns was snappy. Speaking of those columns, Twitter wiped the previous, overly-cutesy main homepage for four tabs that run along the top of the screen — there’s your regular feed, mentions, direct messages, and lists. It feels more like the iOS app, which definitely isn’t a bad thing. You can still pull-to-refresh and swipe left or right over a particular tweet to respond, retweet, or favorite it. So, what’s the best improvement? Besides the tidied up interface, we have to say it’s the auto-complete for usernames — punch in the @ symbol and start typing a name and you’ll get a list of suggested names. Twitter’s also improved the search functionality, but we’d suggest checking that out yourself. It won’t cost you a penny, we just hope you’re running Android 2.1 or higher. Nope, not even Twitter is safe from the evils of fragmentation.

Twitter updates Android app, we go hands-on in more than 140 characters originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You may know that Immersion’s haptic technology is in everything from surgical simulators to game controllers, but we’re willing to bet you didn’t know it’s already baked into over 200 million existing devices — including every Samsung Galaxy S smartphone and handsets by Nokia and LG. Now, using Android handsets’ existing vibrator motors, a cheap software upgrade can inject force feedback into existing elements across the entire Android UI (2.2 and up), and with future devices — built with multi-dollar piezoelectric actuators that vibrate the screen itself — the haptic experience goes hi-fi. Now that it’s revealed that little easter egg to the world, Immersion wants you to build some apps, and to that end it’s releasing the MOTIV developer platform this March. Read all about it after the break.

Continue reading Immersion’s MOTIV development platform integrates haptics into Android, we go hands-on

Immersion’s MOTIV development platform integrates haptics into Android, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How does the HP Veer look up close? Cute as a button, and small — these pictures don’t do it justice at all. We just got our hands on the pint-sized webOS 2.2 smartphone, and snapped a stack of pictures for your viewing pleasure. You won’t be able to flip these around like playing cards, but they will give you a handle on what to expect from the miniature Pre 2 in the weeks or months to come, so click on through that gallery below. We’ll have video in a moment, too!

Update: We went back for seconds and came away stuffed impressed by the power of the tiny machine — its form factor may bring back painful memories of the Kin One, but the Veer feels like a multitasking beast. Before our eyes, an HP rep swiped rapid-fire through enough apps to plan and communicate a Yelp restaurant date in under a minute flat, and there wasn’t so much as an instant’s delay when switching between each. We’re big fans of the form factor, small screen aside, the sliding hinge is solid with a delightful snap, and the cute little keyboard attached to that slider is fairly usable despite its size, with rubbery little keys that reminded us of those on the Palm Centro. What’s not to like?

Update 2: Video after the break!

Update 3: While we were unable to determine with certainty what carrier the Veer demo units were using, an IMEI was clearly displayed in the device info screen, leading us to conclude these were GSM phones (likely on AT&T).

Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Continue reading HP Veer, first hands-on! (updated with video!)

HP Veer, first hands-on! (updated with video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The HP Pre 3 is here! We just got our hands on one and snapped a whole bunch of pictures — see the gallery below. Stay tuned for our first impressions soon. We’re also still working on our shots of the Veer and the TouchPad, but sharp eyes can find both devices in the gallery below — there might even be some iPhone and Nexus S comparison shots, but we don’t want to give too much away.

Update: We just had a chance to play around with the Pre 3 at some length… and we have to say it feels good. The body of the device is sleek and solid, and the weight feels substantial in your hand. The screen is a relatively spacious 3.6-inches, and webOS looks absolutely stunning on it. The extra resolution is a big help on readability and clarity. The slider mechanism feels fairly solid, though there’s a little give just at the end of it’s movement that made us slightly concerned. Compared to previous devices, however, it seems far tighter. We’re still messing around with the phone and will report back on what we find, but in terms of hardware quality, HP has taken a big step up here. As for the keyboard, it feels really fantastic. We realize this is very much a matter of personal preference, but we had zero problems typing quickly and accurately on the Pre 3 right from the get go.

Update 2: Hardware hands-on video after the break!

Update 3: More pics, including the Touchstone 2 dock.

Continue reading HP Pre 3 first hands-on! (updated with video)

HP Pre 3 first hands-on! (updated with video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 15:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading MetroPCS LTE Samsung Galaxy Indulge available this week, we go hands-on

MetroPCS LTE Samsung Galaxy Indulge available this week, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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