Hasta La Gadget!

This is totally out of left field, but TmoNews (which tends to have a pretty solid track record when it comes to all things T-Mobile) is claiming that “select” G1s will be receiving Android 1.6 “Donut” starting… well, right about now. So much for any lingering worries that the first retail Android device was being left high and dry, eh? If everything goes well, the rumor goes on to say that myTouch 3Gs would be getting their own over-the-air upgrade in about 24 hours — and like the 1.5 update before it, it’d likely be a staggered rollout to make sure that T-Mobile doesn’t brick a bazillion phones in one fell swoop. Any G1 owners out there seeing anything yet? This sounds awfully quick, especially considering that the Dev Phone 1 just took delivery of 1.6 a handful of hours ago — but hey, if it’s true, we like T-Mobile’s hustle.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Android 1.6 getting pushed to G1s starting tonight, myTouch 3Gs in a day? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The tips are flooding in — webOS 1.2.0 has just been released, and downloads are starting all over. Obviously the big new features is support for app purchases in the Catalog, but we’ve heard there are a ton of little fixes and improvements in addition — we’re checking it out now, let us know how it goes for you in comments!

Here are some major changes listed by Palm:

• Search is now available in the email app, allowing you to find by subject, from, to, or CC fields (no message search yet).
• The web browser now supports cut, copy, and paste within a webpage (text only).
• Music purchases via Amazon can now be done over EV-DO. It’s not clear if they mean that you can download the tracks, or just queue them (that would be lame, however). Anyone test this yet?
• A new gesture has been added which allows you to swipe down from the top of the screen to open the application or connection menu — which should be a huge help to everyone missing those small targets!
• You can now download files from within the browser, and Palm has created an easy method to open a link in a new card.

Update: We haven’t tested it yet, but the Media Sync section of the release notes doesn’t make any mention of restoring iTunes compatibility — looks like Palm’s not going to poke at the USB-IF any more than it has to.

Update 2: Tested. Don’t expect to sync with iTunes, everyone — it ain’t happening.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Filed under: Cellphones

webOS 1.2 now available, brings support for app purchases originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Do you know how old the current iMac is? Half a year. Or two years, if we’re talking form factors. In terms of major Apple design overhauls, six months isn’t a very long time, but considering that the all-important holiday shopping season is about to kick off, it follows logic to think that Apple would update its most consumer-facing Mac lineup in preparation. AppleInsider seems to have a pretty good read on a purported refresh, noting that a thinner chassis (predictable, but appreciated) and all-around lower prices are on tap. We’re told that the enclosures could closely mimic the firm’s new Cinema Displays in terms of industrial design, and while details on actual specification changes are next to nil, we are told that a few amenities “not previously available” would become so. Who’s down for throwing out wild suppositions? (And no, Blu-ray doesn’t count.)

Filed under: Desktops

Updated iMac lineup rumored for near-term release originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Practically all summer, the buzz surrounding TomTom’s forthcoming iPhone GPS app was near deafening. But said noise apparently didn’t penetrate the labs at Navigon, as that very outfit has produced what’s easily the most full-featured option on the market today. Just a week after updating the already-great app with text-to-speech, iPod controls and location sharing, the company is now proclaiming that live traffic will splash down in October (at least in North America). The update will enable the software to utilize real-time speed data from drivers currently en route as well as historical information in order to alert you of slow-downs and re-route you when necessary. We’ve personally seen live traffic functions fail more often than not, but we’re giving Navigon the benefit of the doubt here until we can test it ourselves. Best of all, it’ll only cost MobileNavigator users (priced at $89.99) a one-time fee of $24.99 for lifetime traffic, and if you snag it within the first four weeks after it goes on sale, that rate drops to $19.99. So, TomTom — what now?

Filed under: Cellphones, GPS, Software

Navigon adding live traffic to iPhone navigation app, asks ‘TomTom who?’ originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’re one of the few Earthlings with a Zune HD sold ahead of its US street date… and still awake, consider yourself obsessive. And lucky: the Zune 4.0 software just popped and is ready to download for the newest must-have portable media player. Our full review is on the way, ’till then check our hands-on and official launch-day press release just beyond the read link.

P.S. Looks like older Zunes are getting a version 3.2 update — screengrab after the break.

Update: The new Zune software is fully Windows 7 optimized as you’d expect. That means it supports Windows 7 Jump Lists (for quick access to your music controls and playlists from the Taskbar), Previews letting you glimpse and control media by hovering your mouse over the Zune button on the Taskbar, and Aero Snap auto-resizing of the Zune software window. Here’s a quick overview of what else is new:

• Quickplay menu: quick access from your Zune HD to your favorite media including those you most recently added or played
• Smart DJ: Like Apple’s Genius, Smart DJ creates like-minded music mixes. It also adds music from the Zune Marketplace if you have a Zune Pass.
• Mini Player Mode: Keeps a mini version of the player on top of your PC apps
• Download to own: For the first time you can download-to-own or rent full movies and TV shows in SD or HD formats.

Surprisingly, CNET says that Microsoft has killed the ability to “squirt” DRM-crippled music directly between Zune users. Not that it will be missed.

[Thanks to Mario H., Travis, and everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Zune 4.0 software is out, ready to fulfill your dreams (update: kills “squirting”)

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Zune 4.0 software is out, ready to fulfill your dreams (update: kills “squirting”) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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